The Only Way
by Dove of Night
Summary: Kagome, prisoner of Sesshomaru, is horridly frustrated by the whole situation - just as aggrivated as Inuyasha, in fact - and Sesshomaru doesn't seem to be planning to hand her over. Ever.
1. Chapter One

*~*The Only Way - Chapter One*~*  
  
It was a nice, normal day.  
  
Wait.  
  
When was it ever normal around Inuyasha?  
  
Okay then.  
  
It was a nice, completely-not-normal-that-probably-would-have-made-any-one-but-Kagome-go-insane day.  
  
That's a tad bit closer.  
  
Inuyasha was engaged in yet another of his wonderful life-or-death battles. Miroku was hiding in some bushes with Sango, who was unconcious. His 'black hole' was useless , Naraku had sent in the bees.  
  
Sango's boomerang had been deflected and she had not been fast enough to avoid being clipped on the temple.  
  
Kagome was behind Inuyasha, trying with all of her might to level her bow, an arrow drawn taunt. The demon was moving to fast. Almost faster than Inuyasha, she sensed at least six jewel shards in this demon. A real mess of shards, that changed the demon into an incredibly large and powerful thing.  
  
She cursed rather creatively as an arrow demolished a tree only a few feet behind the demon. The Hanyou was getting angrier.  
  
"Dash it Kagome! Can't you hit ANYTHING you stupid wench!?" He shouted, his voice a lot harsher than he had intended it to be.  
  
"I can hit YOU.." She mumbled.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"DUCK!" Inuyasha just managed to dodge a claw aimed to remove his head from his shoulders. Kagome fired. The arrow connected with the demon's right claw, taking it out along with the rest of the arm. The demon screeched in pain, and uprooted a tree. He smashed it into Kagome's ribcage, causing her to become rather suddenly airborn.  
  
"Inu Ya-ack!" She yelped, rebounding off of a boulder. She groaned, and rolled onto her back, and then stumbled to her feet. She could collapse into an unconcious heap AFTER the battle.  
  
The enemy had Inuyasha by the throat. The half-demon was struggling fruitlessly. Kagome notched another arrow. She focused on the jewel shards. If she hit just one, it would bring the demon down to Inuyasha's level.  
  
She let arrow fly. And missed it completely. As soon as she saw that the arrow was going to miss, she notched another and sent it after the first. The second arrow hit the demon. The first one hit Inuyasha.  
  
He released a string of curses as the demon released him. Just before landing he managed to work the arrow out of his ribcage.  
  
Kagome was staring at him with horrified guilt. She hadn't mean to..  
  
Inuyasha proceeded to rip the demon apart with his claws, and then he collected the bounty. Exactly six jewel shards.  
  
**  
  
"I spent FIFTY YEARS with an arrow in my chest! What is wrong with you?!"  
  
"I didn't mean to-"  
  
"You're just like Kikiyo! Do you both just ENJOY shooting me full of arrows? Huh? I don't see any difference between you two!"  
  
Now Kagome was on the offensive. Before she'd just let it all go owing to the fact that he needed to blow of steam. But that comment was unacceptable.  
  
"That is ENOUGH Inuyasha! Is that all you see in me? Your dead lover? I tried to apologize for hitting you with the arrow. But I'm GLAD you brought this up! I'm SICK of being second-best to a stupid dead woman! So I'm her freakin' reincarnation, frankly I don't CARE! I'm Kagome, not Kikiyo! If that's all you can think of me as, then I AM LEAVING!" She stalked resolutely for the well.  
  
"But Kagome-"  
  
"SIT!!!!!!" She screeched as she dropped into the well.  
  
Once at home, Kagome immediatly regretted her harsh words. But she was just so SICK of it. She didn't look anything like Kikiyo - so they had the same hair color! But whoop.  
  
She stalked into her room, and was surprised to see a parcel on her bed. She opened it uncertaintly.  
  
'Hello, Kagome-chan. We don't see much of each other! I thought that these might help you move around in the feudal era. At least you won't have to worry about your skirt blowing up! I got you a shirt to. I hope you like them, this way while you're off finding that jewel, you'll think of me.  
  
Love,  
  
Mom'  
  
Kagome smiled. That was so nice of her mother! Her spirits immediatly soared. She hastened to change into a pair of blue jeans and a white tanktop with an intricate blue flower pattern on it.  
  
An hour and a half later, Kagome was bored. She wanted to show her new outfit off to Inuyasha.  
  
She'd left a thank you note on the counter, and a promise to spend time together when she came back from helping Inuyasha.  
  
Another hour passed. And Kagome decided that Inuyasha really was mad at her. She cooked up a cup of Ramen as a piece offering and put it inside of a tupperware container.  
  
Remembering that her bag was still back at Kaede's hut, Kagome left the house. She hopped into the well without even a backward glance.  
  
Kagome waited in the bottom of the well for a grand total of twenty minutes. Well, it was official. Inuyasha was very much pissed off at her.  
  
She tucked the container under one arm and scaled the well. It was actually easier in pants.  
  
She put the container down on the edge of the well as she reached the final leap of her ascent. Patting her hair down, Kagome waited for Inuyasha to start laughing at how long it took her to get out or something. Nothing.  
  
No birds. No insects. Complete calm silence.  
  
Something was very, very wrong.  
  
She looked around feeling apprehensive now. A slight movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She saw a flash of white hair and golden eyes.   
  
But the white hair was longer.  
  
And the eyes were expressionless.  
  
Kagome wasted no breath or time. She spun on her right heel and ran like the wind.  
  
She dove right into the forest, heading for Kaede's hut. Run-run-run-DUCK-run-run-run. She moved as quickly as possible, forgoing all quieting methods. It didn't matter if he could hear her. He could smell her.  
  
She crashed through the brush at full-speed.  
  
A hand latched onto her shoulder, spinning her. As her speed faltered, another hand grabbed her wrist in a painful yet loose grip. The power of the gentle hold was incredible.  
  
Kagome stared into his eyes for a moment.  
  
"Let me go, Sesshomaru." That came out a bit less forceful than she'd origionally intended it to be. It came out as more of a terrified plea and less of a fearless order.  
  
She lashed out, catching him full in the solar plexis with her free fist. As he gasped, she twisted free and ran for it.  
  
Now she done made him mad.  
  
SMART.  
  
"INU YASH-AGH!" She shrieked. She felt someone grip her by both shoulders, and somehow flip her. In milliseconds, Kagome found herself pinned by Sesshomaru. He sat straddling her stomach. His hands kept her shoulders in a painfully tight grip.  
  
She bucked underneath him.  
  
"Let me go!" Again with the not-so-commanding-command. He looked at her impassivly as she pummeled him, bit him, scratched him, and kicked him. He felt her attacks gradually weakening.  
  
He picked her up like one might a child. He needed her in one piece, and wasn't willing to risk her breaking a rib from rough contact with his shoulder. As it was, she was already pretty bruised and scratched.  
  
She started struggling with renewed fury. His thumb nail gently pierced the skin of her cheek in a soft scratch. She gave a squeak of protest and tried to fight him.  
  
But in seconds, the miniscule dose of poision took effect and she sank into unconciousness and her head dropped against his chest.  
  
The last thing she saw before sinking into the blackness was Inuyasha, who having heard her scream had rushed to answer.  
  
"Sesshomaru! PUT. HER. DOWN." He yelled.  
  
"How about a little trade, brother? Her, for the sword." Inuyasha hesitated. He glared at Kagome in Sesshomaru's arms, he was actually holding her rather delecately. She was wearing different clothing, too. It looked a lot more comfortable and fighting-friendly than the usual outfit she came to the feudel era in.  
  
Noting Inuyasha's hesitation, Sesshomaru almost grinned. He did in fact like the girl, he was just afraid of seperating from his beloved sword.  
  
"I-"  
  
"Sorry, Inuyasha. The offer has timed out. Try again later." He laughed as he leaped with demon speed, racing away from the Hanyou.  
  
Kagome flopped listlessly in his arms as he ran, causing Inuyasha to fear for her fragile neck. The speed at which Sesshomaru was moving could easily cause her head to jerk to far to fast and kill her.  
  
*****  
  
Kagome awoke to the feeling of heat on her right cheek. She remembered that Sesshomaru had scratched her - obviously that was why her cheek was burning.  
  
She opened her eyes slightly, and saw Sesshomaru leaning against a tree, in all appearances asleep. She closed her eyes again, hoping that he'd leave her alone for an hour or so, which would give her time to think of an escape plan.  
  
Scream? Oh yeah, bring every demon in the forest down on them.  
  
Call Inyasha? A thought, but if she hadn't been imagining that she'd seen him the first time, Sesshomaru had probably injured him.  
  
Try to fight Sesshomaru hand-to-hand? Oh, yes. THAT would work.  
  
Run? That was probably the only plausible plan. And just as suicidal as the rest.  
  
"Bored yet?" Sesshomaru asked as he watched her pretend to be asleep. She opened her eyes and sat up, levelling her chocolate gaze on him after a cursorary sweep of her surroundings. They were in a small clearing just outside of Inuyasha's forest.  
  
"What are we doing here?"  
  
"I got tired of carrying you. And I figured that I didn't need the bruises from when you woke up."  
  
"You could have just used your nifty trick." She challenged. He shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, if I didn't want you to wake up. Stupid girl, that poison can be lethal, you know. Two doses this close together will cause your body to shut down." Kagome didn't stop glaring at him.  
  
"So what? Why do YOU care."  
  
"Isn't it obvious? I plan to use you as a bargaining chip with Inuyasha."  
  
"But.. why do you need me alive?" Now she really was curious. She'd figured that he would have already killed her to spite Inuyasha.  
  
"I actually don't." He said carelessly. "However, if I'm going to use you to taunt Inuyasha, your scent has to be living. He can TELL if you're dead, you know." He said almost condescendingly.  
  
"Oh."   
  
"Anyways, I'm planning on killing you in front of him. It will be much more fun."  
  
She was struck by the total strangeness of the situation. A Youkai had kidnapped her from his Hanyou brother for a sword that he couldn't even touch without feeling pain, and she was sitting in a clearing with him chatting in an almost friendly way. Anyone not capable of hearing the topic of their conversation would have thought them pals, just having an intimate chat or something.  
  
Kagome stood. She noticed his muscles tighten slightly at the movement. He was waiting for her to try to escape. How stupid did he think she was? She wasn't dumb enough to attempt an escape with him WAITING for her to do so.  
  
She cracked her neck and her back, rolling her shoulders akwardly.  
  
"You're going to get arthritis." Sesshomaru observed, standing as well.  
  
"I'm gonna be dead soon anyways."  
  
"True." He fell silent. Kagome watched him for a while. He was just looking into the forest with a completely passive expression.  
  
After about ten minutes of this stand off, Sesshomaru turned and levelled his gaze on her. Kagome felt like shuffling her feet, or averting her gaze, or some other act to betray her nervousness. But she didn't.  
  
"Lets go." She just narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together. "Now, human."  
  
She didn't move.  
  
"I HAVE a name." She informed him curtly.  
  
"I don't care." Kagome almost cracked a smile.  
  
"Fine then, FLUFFY." She challanged. She tensed slightly expecting him to get angry. No reaction. He shrugged, his gaze a bit darker and a lot more threatening.  
  
"Move." She followed him silently as he headed towards his home. "Oh yes," She glanced up at him. "If you call me 'Fluffy' again, I will be forced to hurt you." He faced forward again. She stared at his back. His threat wasn't the friendly 'I'm gonna hurt you for pushing me into [Insert Crush's Name].', it was more like a hit man's 'I'm going to kill you for getting in my way'.  
  
She felt fear clench her throat. But she wasn't going to let HIM know that his silly words had scared her. He said he needed her alive! Of course, just being hurt wouldn't kill her. So she just decided not to call him Fluffy again. It wasn't as though that was the only nickname she could come up with for him.  
  
**  
  
An hour passed in complete silence. Finally, they reached thier destination. Sesshomaru walked straight into a field, and a few feet in dissapeared.  
  
"Hurry up already." His voice commanded. Kagome startled a little, not eager to follow him into a completely unknown place. Briefly she considered running.  
  
"Just because you can't see me doesn't mean I can't see you." His voice floated out from behind the illusion. She sighed. Was she really THAT see-through?  
  
Kagome followed him into the unknown place. She found a beautiful castle. It was really a work of art. But it's splendor was dulled by the fact that she was forced to be there. When she started to back away - about to attempt an escape - a hand clamped onto her wrist.  
  
"I would not suggest that." Sesshomaru informed her. Kagome squirmed, trying to free her wrist.  
  
"I don't actually care." She informed him defiantly. She bit her lip against crying out as his grip tightened to the point of actual pain.  
  
Kagome brought her hand down in a vicious karate chop directly on Sesshomaru's wrist joint. He gave a tiny intake of breath, showing some surprise and pain. His grip loosened.  
  
She kicked him on the ankle, broke free, and ran for it. In just a few seconds, Sesshomaru tackled her. Kagome didn't even have enough time to reach the edge of the illusion. He stood, jerking her up by the hair.  
  
"That was stupid." He snarled. He released her hair, but instead gripped her shoulder tightly, his claws pressing ominously into her flesh. She winced. "Move, girl."  
  
She obeyed resignedly. Obviously this wasn't working to well. He forced her ahead of them as they entered the castle.  
  
'Inuyasha will come for me. Right?'  
  
*~*End The Only Way - Chapter One*~* 


	2. Chapter Two

(A/N: Wow! Thank you for the fantastic response!! I'm surprised that you all liked this so much. And to answer the questions, this is a Inu/Kag. Mostly because Sesshomaru hates humans and I have yet to see one of these kinds of fics that didn't end up as a Sess/Kag fic. Anyways, enough with my useless rambling. Hope I didn't lose any fans. Enjoy!)  
  
*~*The Only Way - Chapter Two*~*  
  
Kagome did not struggle as Sesshomaru pushed her ahead of him down a finely lit hall. He did not loose his grip until they came to the end of the trek. As they finally came to the end of the very daunting hall, Sesshomaru gave Kagome a hard shove through the open door.  
  
Of course, she was not expecting this and it caused her to overbalance greatly. Therefore, she went smashing face-first into the ground and skidded a few inches. Sesshomaru looked down at her, after closing the door firmly, and had an almost amused expression.  
  
She rolled over, groaned, and stood up rubbing her chin. He crossed his arms and just looked at her impassivly.  
  
"WHAT do you want now?" She complained. Sesshomaru's eyes widened a tiny fraction at her tenacity.  
  
"." Was his brilliant response. Kagome opened her mouth, probably to make another biting comment, and was silenced when a black-haired bullet streaked into her and wrapped her arms around her legs.  
  
"Ack! Who- what- Get off-"  
  
"Rin like you! Pretty girl play with Rin?" Kagome immediatly found the little girl's third-person speaking quite endearing. Acting as most girls her age acted when confronted with an adorable child, Kagome dropped to her knees.  
  
"Why, hello, Rin. I'm Kagome. You are just the cutest little thing!"  
  
"Rin, go play in the garden. Kagome will join you later, perhaps." Kagome quite literally jumped, she'd forgotten all about Sesshomaru's presence in light of the girl.  
  
"Okay, Sessh-sama!" Rin agreed cheerfully. Kagome stood as she left. A lot of the sunniness in the room left with the dark-haired streak, and Kagome shivered somewhat.  
  
"Apparently Rin was able to sense your prescence."  
  
"Is that so? She's awfully cute. I like her." Was Kagome's noncommitial response. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on her.  
  
"As I was saying, Rin was able to sense you, human. And she touched you."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That means that she likes you, and therefore you will go and play with her while you are here." Kagome glared at him her eyes narrowing. She wasn't especially mad at the thought of playing with a child as cute as Rin, she was angry at the fact that he felt as though he could order her around like that.  
  
"I am NOT one of your servants, you son of a -" She caught herself, and then continued. "I do not obey your every command, Lord of the Western Lands or not. I am not even a citizen of your time! And you kidnapped me! So don't expect me to just meekly bow and do as you order, SES-SHO-MARU!" Kagome growled.  
  
She was more than a little bit surprised to hear Sesshomaru growl, a severely animalistic sound.  
  
"You may not be one of my 'servants' but you ARE a human, and a prisioner nonetheless! Now go, to the gardens. And if you try to escape, I will kill you and just use your body to taunt Inuyasha into my hands, and I will kill him. You understand?" Kagome stared at him with large eyes. He hadn't actually yelled at her before.  
  
She nodded. He started to go, but was stopped by her voice.  
  
"Lord Sesshomaru, where are the gardens?" He stopped short of telling her to sniff it out - her human nose wouldn't be strong enough to smell even the strongest flower at this distance.  
  
"Behind that door, down that hall, third door to your right, down that hall, last door on your left, and then out the open door at the end." He informed her shortly and dissapeared down another hall.  
  
"Behind that door, hall, third right, hall, last door left." Kagome mimicked sarcastically.  
  
**  
  
"Inuyasha, you're not going over there and that's final!" Miroku said fiercly. Inuyasha literally snarled at him, drawing his upper lip taunt across his teeth, revealing slightly larger than usual fangs.  
  
"Miroku, I am NOT going to leave Kagome to his devices! I refuse!! So shut up, and get out of my way before I kill you." His voice had gotten deeper at the end. His Youkai blood was taking over slowly but surely. Miroku stood his ground.  
  
"What are you going to do, Inuyasha? Race in there as blinded by rage as you are now?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"With no plan WHAT SO EVER?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You do realize that he's whooped your sorry tail-less behind EVERY time, right?"  
  
"Yes." Miroku sighed, adjusting the beads on his right hand.  
  
"Then I'm going with you. We're gonna die together, since we're obviously both morons." SMACK! Miroku rubbed his cheek with a surprised, insulted look in his eyes. "What did I-"  
  
"How dare you think you're going without me, Miroku! You jerk! I'm coming to!" Sango was in total battle gear. And her fighting Ki was soaring.  
  
"Oh.. of course lady Sango." He said with a completely innocent smile that earned him a warning look.  
  
"Hello!! Anyone gonna ask me MY opinion!?"  
  
"No." They replied in unison.  
  
Inuyasha was tied hand and foot by the thickest rope that Kaede could offer. So basically he was at their mercy. So he was stuck with them. He would have already left to go save Kagome otherwise.  
  
"Fine, fine! Then untie me you human ingrates!" He ordered imperiously, his voice still tinged with the angry Youkai within.  
  
"Nah."  
  
"Miroku. When I get out, I'm gonna-"  
  
***  
  
"Rin happy to see Kagome! Kagome going to play with Rin!" Kagome smiled, feeling all of her anger at Sesshomaru fade right away. That little girl was just TO cute to actually be angry around.  
  
"Yes, Rin. I'm here to play." Rin tapped Kagome's hand, and took off calling,  
  
"Kagome it!" Over her shoulder. Kagome chased the amazingly fast litte girl into the garden, trying to chase her and look at all of the beautiful flowers and plants at the same time. It was incredible - she couldn't understand what Sesshomaru was doing with a beautiful garden such as the one she was running through. It's soft, pleasant smell made the chase all the more fun.  
  
She found Rin lounging next to a beautiful lake. But there was an 'Ominous cloud' over the lake.  
  
"R..Rin, get away from there." She ordered.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Hurry Rin! GET AWAY FROM THE WATER!" The little girl stood, terrified, and started to move just as something leapt from the depths and lunged at her.  
  
Her scream rattled the windows of the castle.  
  
Kagome reacted without thinking. She launched herself towards them, going between the snake-like figure and Rin. It's teeth latched onto her side and she gave a cry of pain. But then she put her hand down the beast's throat and let loose with an incredible blast of pure energy.  
  
The attacker screamed, and tossed it's head, the one fang that had started to pierce Kagome's side going completely through, barely missing and vital organs.  
  
She found herself wishing she could call on Inuyasha to save her.  
  
The little girl screamed again at all of the blood.  
  
And out of nowhere came a silver streak. The beast was shredded exactly three heartbeats after that streak.  
  
Kagome hit the ground and bounced, rolling to the waters edge.  
  
Sesshomaru knelt next to Rin.  
  
"How did that creature get in here? Are you okay?"  
  
"Rin think you should ask Jaken. That what Rin think. Rin okay, But Kagome hurt." Sesshomaru stood and strode over to Kagome, who was enjoying laying half-concious on her back next to a lake where a beast had just lunged from and pierced her left side. Happy life.  
  
"What happened?" Kagome let out a series of grunts and mumbles.  
  
"Rin know! Rin know! Rin and Kagome playing tag. And then Rin out-ran Kagome and waited by the lake. And then Kagome come and yell at Rin to get away from lake. So Rin stands and starts to move and then evil thing come out and attack Rin but Kagome jump in-between and save Rin and then you save Kagome!" Sesshomaru half-smiled at the girl. And then he looked back at Kagome.  
  
"Why did you do that? Why did you save Rin?"  
  
"Had.. to.. innocent.." Kagome mumbled.  
  
"But you could have been killed! Why would you put yourself in danger for another, you stupid girl?" But Kagome was already unconcious.  
  
**  
  
"-and then I am going to force-feed you that tree." Inuyasha finished. Miroku stared at him.  
  
"How long were you working on that?"  
  
"Made it up as I went along." Inuyasha slashed the ropes at his ankles, and then slid free of the bindings he'd been working on all through his speech.  
  
He stood.  
  
"I suppose you're both still coming?"  
  
"Yes." He crouched some.  
  
"Then come on. Me just carrying both of you is better than all three of us walking alone. Hurry up, or I leave you."  
  
Shippo hopped on at the last minute, earning a growl but nothing more from Inuyasha as he took of running for the Western Lands.  
  
~*~End The Only Way - Chapter Two~*~ 


	3. Chapter Three

Thank you for all of the fantastic reviews! About the delay in getting chapt. 2 out.. well, first, I kind of forgot to write it. *Sweatdrop* and then Ff.net died on me, and then I lost it and.. I can make more excuses if you like!!  
  
Inuyasha: Just SHUT UP AND WRITE!  
  
Dove: Why?  
  
Inuyasha: Just do it! You're so useless!  
  
Dove: I know. ^-^  
  
*~*The Only Way – Chapter Three*~*  
  
Kagome twitched a few times. She groaned, and rolled over. She was on a bed.  
  
A very comfy bed, at that.  
  
And her side felt completely fine.  
  
She looked down, pulling her shirt up slightly. There was a faint scar, but that was it.  
  
"The fang." She jumped and nearly screamed when she heard the voice. Whirling, she glared at Sesshomaru's completely bland face.  
  
"What about it?!"  
  
"It wanted me to heal you. So I did. You probably would have died otherwise."  
  
((Yummers! Jet-puffed marshmellows! WOO! *cough*..))  
  
Kagome stared at him for a moment longer.  
  
((Whoa! They make fat-free marshmellows? Cool!! *Examining the package* Ooh. 16 grams of sugar per marshmellow. Fantastic. It's 11:17 and I'm chowing down on about 7 pieces of 16 grams of sugar every 6.7 seconds. Goody.. ^-^))  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Whatever, human. You saved Rin. I didn't want to feel as though I owed you or something stupid like that. Get up, and get dressed in those clothes. Your own ridiculous garb was ruined and we can't have Inuyasha seeing his love like that." He smirked. "The ingrate should be here within the hour."  
  
He was gone with a soft swish of fabric.  
  
Kagome stood.  
  
"I hope that Ramen doesn't spoil by the time I get back. Maybe I can reheat it."  
  
'You seem awfully sure that you're going to live through this..' The nifty little voice in the back of her mind casually mention.  
  
"I am. Oooh, Good Kagome. Talking to yourself now. How DID Inuyasha resist so long?" Her mind laughed. She snorted at it and looked at the clothing.  
  
It was a kimono, made of some sort of really light fabric. She quickly changed into it, tying the obi as quickly as possible (Usually it takes 2 hours. Lets pretend that she gets lucky and manages it in 15 minutes, hmm?) and then peering in the mirror. It was very pretty. A snow-white the color of Inuyasha's hair with a red trim and golden designs of  
  
((Marshmellows!!!))  
  
delicate flowers that reminded her of a cross between the lilies and the snap-dragons of her time.  
  
((One last comment.. if you ever want way better reaction time and coordination, get a 1 pound bag of marshmellows, throw them in the air one-by-one, and have fun. ^-^))  
  
She left the room, feeling strange in such an obviously expensive garb.  
  
Sesshomaru looked up when he saw Kagome enter the throneroom, looking completely lost. He had to admit, she was very pretty and her scent was very cinnamon-ny. He understood what his little brother saw in her.  
  
But he didn't like her. He just did not like humans.  
  
But the way she looked in that dress was forcing him to seriously recosider killing her. She was a mortal, after all, and could easily die of old age..  
  
Aw, he'd demolish that bridge when he came to it.  
  
A strong scent assaulted his nostrils.  
  
Inuyasha had arrived. And he'd brought to humans and.. that little fox-creature with him. How pleasant.  
  
Kagome saw his expression change slightly, and knew that Inuyasha had arrived. She started to back away. If she could sneak out, she could get to Inuyasha and they could leave without any unpleasant Kagome-killing.  
  
"Where do you think YOU'RE going?" She spun on her heel and started to run, her bare feet slapping the ground hard.  
  
Sesshomaru's clawed hand wrapped around her waist and he jerked her into his chest, not bothering to care whether she got hurt or not.  
  
She yelped.  
  
He just started walking, his firm grip on the girl forcing her to stumble with him. They went to the front door, where Kagome could hear Inuyasha.  
  
"GET OUT HERE YOU SPOILED KIDNAPPER!" A smile almost broke out across Kagome's face. He'd come for her, for real! And he cared and everything!  
  
Sesshomaru felt her heart-rate speed up.  
  
"Oh now, no reason to be happy or excited, girl. You'll both die soon enough." With that rather ominous promise, he opened the door and took them both outside.  
  
****  
  
Inuyasha's eyes immediately riveted on Kagome. Her face was pale and she looked frightened, but unharmed.  
  
She was wearing a beautiful kimono that she MUST have been poured into.  
  
But Sesshomaru had his arms around her. This was a BIG no.  
  
"We'll make this simple. You give me that sword, I give you your girl back." Sesshomaru wasted no time.  
  
He got right to the point and waited for Inuyasha to rebel.  
  
To his shock, Inuyasha slid the sword out of the belt and took a step forward.  
  
"INUYASHA! SIT!" Kagome shrieked.  
  
"What did you do THAT for?!" He asked the ground, which responded very calmly,  
  
"He's going to kill us. So giving him that sword has no mea-" Her voice suddenly got pained. At this point, Inuyasha could look up. He saw that Sesshomaru had tightened his grip considerably about her waist, and dug his claws in as well, to the point where any movement on his part would break the skin.  
  
"Ning. Make him.. fight.. for.. it." She gasped the last part, his grip tight enough to constrict her air.  
  
"Hey, you! DROP 'ER!" Sango threw her boomerang fiercly, knowing exactly what she wanted to happen.  
  
Of course it didn't. He just stepped out of the way of the weapon. Sango caught it on the return path. Miroku put a hand on her shoulder, warning her against throwing it again, should Sesshomaru decide to use Kagome as a shield.  
  
((Why is Sesshomaru's name so flippin' long? GEESH!!))  
  
"Well, Inuyasha. You heard what the wench said. What are you going to do?  
  
*~*End The Only Way – Chapter Three*~*  
  
A/N: I apologize for the shortness. I was just trying to get a chapter out quickly for those that asked me to hurry.  
  
Inuyasha: Naw. You're just lazy.  
  
Dove: Shut up. I don't have to take this – I'll make this a Sessh/Kag!  
  
Sesshomaru: Stupid mortal.  
  
Dove: *Whining* Why does this always happen to MEEE!! *Realizes that noone cares* Hmph. 


	4. Chapter Four

Oh my. I'm quite sorry for the very large delay. I've been struggling with writers block for a while now.. It's really hard for me to write at those times (Like most people..lol..) and when I get a bout as badly as I just did.. well.. yeah. Enjoy, and I'm sorry.  
  
Oh Yeah.. A disclaimer. Forgot that. Lol.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Obviously. If did I'd be able to draw. We don't see THAT now do we?? ^-^  
  
*~*The Only Way – Chapter Four*~*  
  
Kagome stiffened when she heard those words. 'What are you going to do'. What did he THINK that Inuyasha was going to do?  
  
She stomped on the demon lord's instep, hard enough to break the bone. Had he been human, of course.  
  
He just made a 'feh' at her and kept his attention on Inuyasha. If she tried to struggle any more, she'd probably end up letting his claws pierce the skin and the poison pouring into her system would kill her.  
  
WAIT! 'He doesn't have his claws all poisoned up and stuff! They don't have that greenish glow.. so if I were to fight, it'd cut me and hurt like hell, but nothing TO deadly!' Kagome smirked inwardly, and then began to fight like there was no tommorrow.  
  
The claws did cut. And it did hurt. And Kagome was in considerable pain. Did anyone mention that it hurt?  
  
She elbowed him stoutly in the gut. Since he wasn't expecting her sudden fight, he gave a gasp, letting out a woosh of air.  
  
She broke free of his grasp and ran for Inuyasha.  
  
She was panicked, which made her so much faster.  
  
She ran with almost inhuman speed.  
  
Of course, what made that totally unfair was that Sesshomaru WAS inhuman.  
  
((What's really sad is that at this exact moment I had the sudden whim to go put some fake tattoos on. So now I have a rose on the small of my back and two on my right arm. That's just.. odd..))  
  
He caught her with no effort at all, his clawed hand coming around her throat and jerking her back, into him. His long, fluffy tail came down from his shoulder to wrap firmly around her, trapping her arms at her sides.  
  
"Well, Inuyasha. You'll fight to get her back?" He looked up to see the Tetsusagia bearing down on him. "Ah. Okay." He moved Kagome out of the way, tail still wrapped firmly around her.  
  
It was slightly annoying, the nerve of his brother. Attacking him, Sesshomaru, head-on like that!  
  
Annoyed, he batted the blade out of the way. Inuyasha was definatly not going to use the scar of wind when Kagome was directly in it's path.  
  
Were he to attack, he would kill the girl he loved as well.  
  
But the more Sesshomaru thought about it.. the more he liked her.  
  
Kagome had a nice scent, a relaxing aura.  
  
How odd, that although he hated her less than an hour before..  
  
His mind really wasn't on the battle.  
  
Sesshomaru took a glancing blow from the blade. It clipped his armor, chipping it.  
  
'Damn. I'll have to get ANOTHER one..' He sighed.  
  
Kagome had ceased her silly struggling.  
  
It occurred to him what it was about her: She had the gall to struggle, she was brave enough to attempt an escape from the great Taiyoukai. Even though she was little more than a fragile human.  
  
And she was bleeding. Sesshomaru hadn't noticed it before. He must have cut her with his talons when she'd fought.  
  
Finally he decided to pay a bit of attention.  
  
He was annoyed.  
  
The object of his annoyance was readying himself for another strike.  
  
Sesshomaru gathered venom in his talons. He waited patiently, Inuyasha would come him.  
  
The white-haired hanyou attacked, and Sesshomaru very calmly raised his hand.  
  
"Brilliant venom claws!" A direct hit. Enough to kill if left untreated for about an hour.  
  
Inuyasha gasped and stumbled, falling to one knee.  
  
Sesshomaru snorted. What a waste of time.  
  
He sighed.  
  
"This is a useless fight. You're not fighting with your heart, and it makes me feel ridiculous to fight you. And killing you will be worse. Leave me, and get your priorities in order. Maybe THEN we can discuss an actual battle for our great father's fang. Now go."  
  
He could smell Kagome's shock. Ooh, this WAS going to be fun. She was so very easy to confuse.  
  
Inuyasha was also confused.  
  
"Why don't you just kill me now..?"  
  
"Because I don't feel like it, half-breed. Now leave so you have a prayer of getting your stupid wench back!"  
  
Ah, a good comeback. Sesshomaru was very proud of himself.  
  
Inuyasha nodded slowly.  
  
"I have a term. You do not kill my Kagome."  
  
"That's a given, dear brother." Inuyasha stumbled away, the kit following. Sango and Miroku left after him, watching Sesshomaru mistrustfully. He listened as Inuyasha argued, and then spent a full minute cursing as he was forced onto Kirara.  
  
And then they left. Sesshomaru waited until he could no longer smell them before he turned to Kagome, who was still wrapped in his tail.  
  
She stared at him, shaking slightly. Her face was pale. She was in great pain from the deep cuts she'd gained during her brief argument with his claws.  
  
He pulled her to him, and practically carried her inside.  
  
With a sigh, he dropped her back on the bed, drew the Tensiega, and used it again.  
  
The cuts healed.  
  
Kagome stared up at him, confused/curious/terrified. She did have a large amount of scents clashing around her.  
  
He noticed how dialated her pupils were – she was exhausted. How strange, the level of activity she had engaged in was not enough to even wind him..  
  
Of course she WAS a human. And when she'd been unconcious that hadn't truthfully counted as sleep.  
  
Sesshomaru turned from her, pretending she wasn't there.  
  
Kagome's body was relaxing, he could HEAR it.  
  
He could smell her mistrust and uncertainty. And anger. She did NOT want to sleep.  
  
Unfortunatly, exhaustion won out and when he glanced at her before exiting the room, she was fast asleep.  
  
*~*End The Only Way – Chapter Four*~*  
  
A/N: Darnit, another short chapter. Oh my. This one came up with a life of it's own. This might end up being a Sesshomaru/Kagome. I'm not sure. Any vehement responses one way or t'other? Well, I'm as exhausted as poor Kagome. Ja Ne. 


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: Okay. This time it was my fault. I got so wrapped up in my other fic, Dark, that I completely forgot about the existance of this one. Gomen Nasai!!   
  
Um-kay.. Recommended Reading: ~~The Red Hunger~~ That story kicks ass! Unfortunatly it's rated R so if you are, you know, all young and stuff you probably would not like it. It's got a lot of blood and some yucky stuff – and a lot of humor. Okay, Babble-fest is over. Wait! I forgot, this is still a K/I, dun worry my dears. I was testing you, but I was threatened against a S/K so.. yeah..  
  
~*~The Only Way – Chapter Five~*~  
  
Kagome woke up the next morning. She was somewhat surprised – she must have slept for over 14 hours!  
  
She groaned, sitting up and brushing her annoying hair out of her face. She hated not taking a bath before she went to sleep – it made her hair all matted and yucky.  
  
Cracking her neck out of habit, Kagome stood and waited for the slight dizziness to go away. And then she went to the window.  
  
'Maybe Sesshomaru doesn't know I'm awake!' She thought hopefully. It was a stupid hope, and Kagome knew it. But all humans have to have a hope.  
  
She went to her door and opened it silently.  
  
Kagome made it all of the way to the front door before an amused voice behind her stopped her dead in her tracks.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?" She stiffened instantly, and then spun, and glared at Sesshomaru boldly.  
  
"Oh, I figured that I'd see how far away from this 'castle' I could run before a certain emotionless bastard came after me." She responded sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, about 15 feet at most." He responded calmly, without missing a beat.  
  
'Gods, he's TALL!' She thought, and then almost snorted. That was a tad bit off-topic.  
  
"And what if I purified your ass into next spring and ran for it??" She retorted.   
  
"Well.. I could just kill you and leave it at that. Or break both of your legs." He offered conversationally. Kagome gulped – she wouldn't put it past him. And she didn't have enough power to purify him at all, so her threat was quite empty. But she couldn't resist a sharp rejoiner.  
  
"Hey, that could qualify for a joke." Kagome's every word was barbed and dipped in ice.  
  
"This Sesshomaru does not joke. I had a servant place a different kimono for you in the room you're staying in at the moment. That one is ruined." He said just as coolly.  
  
"Gee, thanks. I think it's perfectly fine." Kagome muttered, and then looked down and realized that it was tattered. "Or.. not.."  
  
"Go." She sighed and spun on her heel, marching resolutely towards her current 'room'.  
  
"Ahem." She turned her head. Sesshomaru pointed to a direction at a 90 degree angle from her current position. She muttered at him darkly as she stalked up the stairs and found her room, changing into a dark purple Kimono with a lighter purple Obi. Much more simple than the last one. She liked that.  
  
She decided to explore somewhat, and so took herself on a tour of about one room before she decided that exploring could end disturbingly. She walked into some sort of room with boiling things and bones. Not good.  
  
"There you are, girl. What's wrong with you? Last time I checked, you were not a guest here." Sesshomaru said from right behind her ear, scaring the hell out of her.  
  
'Prisioner or not, this guy is starting to piss me off! He's standing near the stairs, maybe..' But Sesshomaru moved, not liking the way she was switching her eyes between him and the stairs.  
  
"No, I wasn't. You're right. I guess I should leave." Kagome swung onto the banister and slid down – the silky material of the kimono made that feat pretty easy.  
  
Unfortunatly, the Taiyoukai was obviously gravity-defying and Kagome tumbled right into his arms when she reached the end of the banister and found that the floor was not there.  
  
"That was stupid." Sesshomaru growled.  
  
He finally decided what it was he was feeling. Not lust, not facination. But pure amusement. She was amusing – scared to death of him but not afraid to tell him where to go. She actually made him think some. And she did smell good.  
  
"Not really." Kagome replied evenly, before she kicked Sesshomaru about four inches below the belt, as hard as she could. "But that was." His eyes crossed slightly and he let go.  
  
Kagome ran like the hounds of hell were after her blood.  
  
Well, at least one of them was.  
  
He came streaking up behind her, hell-bent on teaching her a lesson. He grabbed her and spun her, slamming her against a wall.  
  
"You need to learn your place, girl. And you do not want me to teach you your place." He threatened.  
  
Kagome was more confused than anything. Normally she wouldn't have done anything but wait for Inuyasha. But that.. was ANNOYING! She wasn't some silly weakling. She could take care of herself!  
  
Unfortunatly.. she wasn't to skilled when it came to dealing with the full-demon older brother of a half-demon younger brother. Especially since they were willing to kill each other at the drop of a hat, and she was just in the way.  
  
"My place? You're right. Someone here needs to learn their place. But it isn't me." She spoke defiantly, looking right into Sesshomaru's bland face.  
  
"Wh-" Sesshomaru was interrupted by yelling.  
  
"Sesshomaru you yellow-bellied bastard! Get your sorry ass out here with my Kagome before I come in there and rip your pretty-boy head off!"  
  
Sesshomaru calmly picked Kagome up by the arm, and held her away from himself. Kagome just dangled, almost two feet off of the ground. He strolled outside as though carrying around annoyed priestess reincarnations was an every-day thing.  
  
"Koga of the Wolf-Demon clann. Why do you disturb the peace of my land?" Sesshomaru inquired furiously.  
  
"I WANT MY KAGOME!"  
  
"She isn't yours!" Came another, just as pissed, voice.  
  
Kagome groaned. Inuyasha stood ready to kill something, knuckles crackling.  
  
Her arm was really starting to hurt, and her head was, too.  
  
Koga leapt.  
  
Kagome managed about three different thoughts in a split second: How sweet. IDIOT! He's going to die!  
  
Sesshomaru caught his powerful kick with a calmly upraised left hand,  
  
((I've returned both of his arms, in case no one has figured this out by now))  
  
and launched him through the air nonchalontly.  
  
Koga went flying. He vanished out of sight – Kagome suspected that he was going to fly three or four miles.  
  
Inuyasha did not draw the Tetsusagia. He crackled his knuckles and at the exact instant that he raised his hand..  
  
Sango's boomerang slammed into Sesshomaru's back.  
  
The Taiyoukai stumbled for a single step, letting Kagome down about an inch. She twisted momentarily, and then decided that it wasn't worth the blinding pain.  
  
"So, little brother. Are you ready to fight this time?"  
  
"If you don't hide behind Kagome like you did the first time." Sesshomaru sort of tossed Kagome carelessly over his shoulder.  
  
"YYAAAGG-UUMP!" Kagome cried as she was caught by Miroku. "Good catch."  
  
"Sesshomaru meant for me to catch you." Miroku put Kagome down and they watched as Sesshomaru and Inuyasha launched into battle.  
  
They were evenly matched. Sesshomaru's skill far surpassed Inuyasha's. But what Inuyasha lacked in skill, he made up for in pure, raw emotion.  
  
Kagome was the first to notice something that wasn't normal.  
  
Buzzing.  
  
She looked up and gasped.  
  
"Miroku! The Poison Wasps!"  
  
"Yes. They appear to be here.." And not three seconds later, there was an earth-rattling slam. And another. And another. They continued until the gaping group was faced with what could have passed as a titan.  
  
It brought it's fist down on Sesshomaru's palace, taking out almost half of it in one swing.  
  
Kagome leapt into action.  
  
She raced between the combatants.  
  
"KAGOME! GET OUT OF HERE!"  
  
"Leave, wench."  
  
"No! Sesshomaru – your castle thing is being destroyed. Inuyasha, it's Naraku and that demon has at least twelve shards. He plans to kill you both with this one. You two HAVE to join together and fight, or we're ALL going to die!" Kagome pleaded, frantic. She was worried for Rin – that 'Titan' was still attacking the castle despite the fact that Sango and Miroku were doing everything possible to stop it.  
  
Miroku was even close to taking off the prayer beads and taking his chances with the wasps.  
  
"Please, just fight together this once? Afterwards you can get back to your royally stupid battle, but until then, one of you CAN'T beat this monster without the other! PLEASE!" Kagome begged, frantic now. She could FEEL Rin in danger.  
  
Apparently Sesshomaru could, as well. He dropped his hands.  
  
"I will, if you will, Inuyasha. Just until we wipe out this ridiculous demon."  
  
"You got it, bro."  
  
They both turned towards the demon and took off at the same time.  
  
Kagome watched in awe.  
  
By themselves, the brothers were nothing to trifle with. But in a united front, they were practically invincible. The monster attacked and divided.. but somehow they managed to avoid and Sesshomaru actually saved Inuyasha from a blow to the back. And then Inuyasha managed to pull Sesshomaru below a blow aimed to remove his head.  
  
"THE CHEST!" Kagome screamed. They both understood, and at the exact same time attacked the demon's chest with twenty deadly, sharp claws. For a moment they were one, half-breed and pure-breed were completely equal.  
  
They ripped the attacker right down the chest, gutting it like a fish. Inuyasha knocked the shards towards Kagome, who instantly picked them up and added them to the ones they had collected.  
  
Both landed, winded and rather proud.  
  
"You're..ah..a good fighting ally.." Inuyasha offered cautiously.  
  
"As are you. I didn't realize it before, but you have almost risen to my level, little brother. Perhaps I judged your to harshly based soley on the fact that you are a half-breed."  
  
"Well.. you kind of don't have a castle now. Perhaps you can travel with us for a while, so a new one can be built? Or something?" Inuyasha made the request sound flippant.  
  
"What, need me to battle the big monsters?"  
  
Kagome watched the light-hearted bickering with her mouth hanging open.  
  
That was all it took?  
  
ONE fight fought together, and they bonded?  
  
'WHAT was in that demon's blood?'  
  
Kagome had hit the nail on the head, and she didn't even realize it.  
  
Miroku came stumbling over. He'd been hit with a piece of flying stone. In his arms was an unconcious, but otherwise okay, Rin.  
  
Sango was behind him, Shippo in her grip, Kirara behind them looking around warily. The wasps weren't gone.  
  
Sesshomaru took Rin. Kagome took Shippo. And they left, leaving Jakken to supervise the reconstruction.  
  
***  
  
A/N: WOW! Look! This chapter started off at 3 pages, and then I got bored, and added more.. and check it out – SIX pages! *Proud* So.. what's in the demon's blood? Why are Inuyasha and Sesshomaru suddenly buddy-buddy? Did that fight really break the ice, or was it the blood again?  
  
I think I have a fetish with blood. And Inuyasha. They put it back on the adult swim. YYAYY!! Not to make a subliminal message or anything, but..  
  
Rin is rEally cute, I think. VIEW points can be different. but ME, I think that her almost-Babbling way is EndearinG. Yep, Origionally cUte. i'm glad ThEy put her iN. Maybe i just lOve 3-Rd pErson speaking. TOday has been lonG, nE? Today i aced my writteN tEXT. i love to write, i am aCtually working on an origional story. Yay for me. HAPPY me.  
  
Did anyone catch that? If you did, write it in your review. Everyone who gets it right gets a walk-on in the next chapter. I start writing the next chapter Tuesday of next week. You have until then. Have fun! ^-^ 


	6. Chapter Six

..well.. this isn't cool. I kinda lost this chapter, four pages in. Blast it all. And I cannot remember who figured out my subliminal message. If you did, write that you did in your review, along with the name you wish your walk-on to have.. and the gender. Be honest, please.  
  
~*~The Only Way – Chapter Six~*~  
  
It had been two weeks since Sesshomaru had begun to travel with them. In that time, they'd gathered almost all of the last half of the Shikon. Very soon they would need to confront Naraku for the other half.  
  
But Kagome was ready to kill both brothers with a pencil. A dull one.  
  
They were being SUPER polite to each other, often arguing for extended periods of time over who should get the last bite of ramen ("Oh, YOU deserve it, dearest brother!" "Of course not, brother of mine, you are older and larger!" "Which if why YOU should get the last bite!") and who actually killed the demons. ("You, of course!" "Oh no, that skilled finishing blow was ALL you!")  
  
**  
  
Kagome slammed her math book shut, sick of trying to focus on factoring monomials and polynomials while the brothers embraced in the background while talking of their father.  
  
"This is RIDICULOUS!" She growled to Shippou. Miroku and Sango were gone with the excuse of wresting up some firewood and perhaps some fruits and berries. Could take some time.  
  
Kagome knew that they were just escaping the way-to-happy vibe that the brothers were putting off. She wasn't stupid, thank you very much.  
  
Poor Shippou was looking nauseas.  
  
He begged, "Go make them argue! PLEASE!" Kagome, on the hope that it would work, stalked over to Sesshomaru and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Normally this would have brought on a tantrum from Inuyasha. Including something along the lines of "You little ****ing bitch! How could you! Sesshomaru, you bastard!"…but that didn't happen.  
  
"Wow, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha cried, clapping his hands. "That was nice of you, Kagome, to make him feel welcome in the group."  
  
"Whatever." She stalked off to go wash the Sesshy-cooties from her mouth.  
  
Leaving herself wide open to an attack in the process.  
  
A water-bound creature that was a cross between a squid and a crab rose from the lake.  
  
"Oh, crap."  
  
It's tentacles, eight of them, each ended with a claw. One of them wrapped around Kagome's waist.  
  
"INUYASHA!!" She shouted, wriggling helplessly. She spied three Shikon shards on the demon's neck.  
  
Two streaks of white brought the brothers to her.  
  
Kagome started to smile..  
  
Until they started arguing over who should save her. Each brother, of course, had less qualification than the other.  
  
"ARGGH!" She cried, and then turned her frustration and fury into power. She sent a blast of pink energy down the claw. It disintigrated the tentacle.  
  
Kagome landed on her feet. Now that her arms were freed, she swung her bow to her hands and snapped an arrow out of it's quiver.  
  
As the creature shrieked, Kagome sent three charged-up arrows at it in succession.  
  
It sizzled into a harmless pile of dust, three shards atop.  
  
Kagome snatched up the shards and shoved them inside of the small bottle around her neck that the other shards resided in.  
  
About that time, the brothers noticed what was going on.  
  
"Um..wha?"  
  
"I guess I don't need you or Sesshomaru to find the shards." Kagome snapped. Setting her jaw she stormed away.  
  
"Did I do something to make her mad?" Inuyasha mused.  
  
"Of course not," Sesshomaru hastened to assure him "She is just jealous of our new-found friendship."  
  
"Oh. Right." But Inuyasha was beginning to get an itching feeling that something wasn't right.  
  
****  
  
"I just don't get what's going on with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha." Miroku sighed, handing Sango more berries to add to her basket.  
  
"I think I'm startingto piece it together."  
  
"Please share."  
  
"That demon that they killed is a Companicous. That means that the demon's blood binds two creatures. Making them instant best friends to the point that they become completely incapacitated without each other. That is how the Companicous gets even with whatever kills or injures it. We need to get Sesshomaru and Inuyasha this special drink that I know how to make. It will break the trance."  
  
"Good idea, Sango dearest!"  
  
"I know." She winked and skipped off, leaving the basket for Miroku. "I'll go find what I need. It's pretty basic."  
  
~*~End The Only Way – Chapter Six~*~  
  
A/N: I'm sooo sorry that this is so short after how long it took me to update! This update is more to see who's still reading this than anything. So..yeah. I promise (to anyone actually reading this) that the next update will be much better! 


	7. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Yes. I suck. I'm very sorry, guys. I can't believe it took me so LONG to get this out!! I feel sooo guilty.. feels bad I have no excuses, other than extreme laziness and complete spacing of this story. Y'all forgive this innocent face, right? Dove-chan is just to CUTE to maul.. hopes.. Drools over picture of Sesshomaru Yumm..**

**The Only Way – Chapter Seven**

She groans and rolls over, sweat beading her feverish forhead. She shivers several times, her ebony hair sticking to her forehead. Her pale lips part to let out a soft, fevered moan of pain. She rolls over again, the blood on the back of her head mats her hair. Her pale skin stands out in the dark room…

Sango plucked several orange flowers from the forest floor. Examining them closely, she deemed each acceptable, and added them to the collection of random herbs and berries that she'd collected.

"Got it all!" She found Miroku waiting for her right where she'd left him. Together they mixed two bottles of the potion – that would alleviate any 'I'm not worthy' arguments they might get from the brothers.

Heading back, Miroku and Sango tried to figure out how to best present the drink to the guys. They saw Kagome sitting on a tree stump pouting. When she saw them coming towards her, she grinned and stood.

"Hey, guys-" She started.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Miroku interrupted. Kagome pointed towards the lake. The two marched off wihtout a word. Somewhat insulted and hurt, Kagome turned and stalked into the forest.

She walked alone for a good half-mile before she found a clearing that resembled a small valley and sat down in the middle to meditate – a nifty trick she learned that relaxed her and focused her powers more.

"Inuyasha, Sesshomaru!" Sango called, "I have the most EXCELLENT drink you must both try!" The brothers looked up from their recollection of Inuyasha's mother to respond.

"Sesshomaru? You'll try it, of course?"

"Oh heavens **no**! After you!" Sango managed to suppress a growl of irritation.

"It's alright, we brought enough for you both to try at the same time."

Miroku handed the brothers the drinks.

"One..two..THREE!" They both tipped back at the same time and drained their vials.

"Damn, that shit is NASTY!" Inuyasha snarled. Sango and Miroku watched as the magic took effect, glowing blue over both brothers for a minute.

They were shoulder-to-shoulder. As soon as they noticed this, they both remedied it with a shout.

The brothers appeared to be having some difficulty coping with the fact that they'd been so bloody nice to each other lately.

Sesshomaru snarled. "You ugly little half-breed, what did you do to me?!"

"**ME**?!" Inuyasha roared in holy fury. "What did you do!?"

"It was a demon." Miroku interceded before it could come to blows. Inuyasha snorted irritably. Sesshomaru did not mimic him, but stood silent and cold.

"I hate you." Inuyasha tacked on to his snort speedily, as though that would make him feel better.

"You? Hate me? Ah, no. I believe my hatred far surpasses yours. Happy questing." Inuyasha hesitated, confused at those last words. And then he realized that Sesshomaru was simply…not there anymore.

"Where did he go?!" Inuyasha cried irritably.

"I did not see any movement." Miroku murmured, eying the forest as though something was going to leap out and attack them. Which it should have. But didn't.

Inuyasha sensed something…was very very wrong… and then it hit him.

"KAGOME!" She was far away, and alone. Inuyasha moved like a demon possessed, racing for her.

"Kagome." She snapped her head up, startled at the voice. A frown danced across her face when she computed that her quiet meditation had been interrupted. But she got over it when she realized that Sesshomaru was leaning, back against a tree and arms crossed.

She looked about warily, trying to figure out where Inuyasha was. They'd been insepe-

"The spell has been broken."

Oh.

Kagome stood slowly, as though he was a wild animal posed to strike. 'Well lookie here, he **IS**' Kagome thought to herself sharply, and a little cruelly.

Sesshomaru was behind her in seconds, hands resting softly on her shoulders.

"Rin likes you. You will stay with me."

Kagome shuddered. NO NO NO! That was all wrong. She was to be around Inuyasha, hunting shards, not entertaining a five-year-old little girl.

She shrugged away, and spun on him.

"NO!" She backed up quickly, glaring a challenge without realizing it. Sesshomaru back-handed her across the face, sending her slamming into a tree. In fact, the same tree he'd been using as a leaning post moments before.

Her head hit with a sickening crack, and snapped on her neck. She crumpled like a rag-doll, blood seeping from the wound. Sesshomaru got a thoughtful look on his face.

"You need to learn your place," He muttered to her unconcious form. "And to duck." He leaned down and picked her up lightly, and then moved again in a blur.

"She was here!" Inuyasha growled, furious. His eyes were aglow with an eerie light, and he looked ready for blood.

Which there was plenty of, on the ground.

KAGOME'S blood.

"But…how will we get back to Sesshomaru's castle? He didn't stipulate his terms this time, and may have mounted a guard."

"I'll rip them apart." Inuyasha started to move but was tackled by a Taiyja and a Monk. They pinned him speedily and tied him up with a handy vine.

"You will not go gallavanting around with blind anger coarsing through you." Miroku droned, as though this was routine.

"You'll kill someone innocent, and then Kagome will kill you and then it'll get ugly." Sango lectured as well.

Inuyasha snarled and twitched, but couldn't untie himself.

"FINE!"

The two sat down and ignored him, waiting for him to wear himself out or convince them that he'd cooled down.

Whichever came first.

"Hikaru." Sesshomaru ordered his servant icily. "Go make sure she lives."

The servant nodded swiftly, bobbing a curtsy, and hurried to the room in which Kagome lay, burning with fever and bleeding from a gash in her head.

She returned just as quickly. "She is alive, but very unwell, Master. Please, couldn't one of us give her some help?"

"If she's weak enough to die, she dies." Sesshomaru snapped. "Leave me." The servant nodded quickly and left with a cordial – frightened – bow.

Kagome thrashed about in the bed she'd been dropped on. Sweat beaded her pale forehead. She sat up suddenly with a blood-freezing scream.

"What in hells-" Sesshomaru strode purposefully to Kagome's room, where she sat on the bed screaming herself blue. She didn't look at him – she couldn't. The fever was making her delerious, and she not only didn't see him, she didn't realize anything existed but what was frightening her.

He slapped her sharply several times across the face, but she kept screaming.

Sesshomaru groaned, his sensitive ears ringing. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he shook her ferociously.

"Kagome! KAGOME! **Kagome. You will stop that screaming this instant**." His voice rang with full authority. After another moment, she fell dead silent, still staring through him.

Sesshomaru pulled away, and took with him sticky blood. With a curious look he glanced at the back of her head. The girl's injury was getting infected and wouldn't stop bleeding. With an irritated, 'What I do for these damn humans' sigh, Sesshomaru left the room.

"Hikaru."

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" She appeared from nowhere.

"Get her that medical attention." He muttered. The servant bobbed a curtsy and scampered away.

"Lord Sesshomaru, did you not say-" Jaken began. The green youkai did not have a chance to finish his sentence, he found himself sailing across the room.

"Do not question me."

"N-never lord Se-Sesshomaru…" The toad moaned, twitching.

**Sorry. Should be longer. Isn't. Tired. Must. Go. Not. Making. Sense. Rambling. Lots. Of. Dots. Whoaa….**

**…Gomen nasai….**


	8. Chapter Eight

A/n: -Mutter- Hey, my last update was probably the best chapter of TOW that I've ever written. Is that…bad? –grin- Never you mind, 'cause here is chapter eight. –Bows several times- I apologize for the wait. But I'll try to make this really long to make up for it, hmmm? –Hopeful grin-

_::The Only Way – Chapter Eight::_

Thudding in her head was what finally brought Kagome to conciousness. A low growl of pain hissed from her parched throat as the throbbing centeralized into a thick point at the base of her skull.

"How are you feeling, lady?" Inquired a polite male voice. Kagome detected a slight quaver in the tone. Without raising her head, Kagome peered up at the pale and perspirating monk.

"I…my…I feel fine." She smiled reassuringly, a chilling presence was just outside of the door and Kagome knew that the Taiyoukai Sesshomaru was listening and if she didn't give a positive answer the monk had zero chance for survival.

The man seemed limp with relief. Kagome wished she could signal that her head was killing her…but didn't want to be responsible should the monk get hurt.

Sesshomaru chose then to enter, looming over the monk imposingly. Kagome sat up, more than a little bit dizzy. The Inuyoukai reached out and snagged the Monk with a soft growl. Kagome realized that nothing beyond death awaited the healer.

"Sess…ah…Lord Sesshomaru?" The girl forced herself to show a tenative level of respect. She knew that if she didn't Sesshomaru would completely ignore her.

"What, ningen?" He dignified Kagome with a response, the Monk dangling from his claws.

"Please let him go?"

Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose at her request and an actual frown danced across his countenance. "What delusion causes you to think that your words will change his fate?"

"Please?" Kagome stressed, "He did nothing to you." Her tone balanced perfectly between pleading and sensible. The priestess tried very hard to keep herself from ordering him.

"…" Sesshomaru contemplated her request. "No." And without furthur ado he strode from the room with the frenetically praying Monk in tow.

Kagome was shocked – even though she should have known her pleading wouldn't work, it was still unexpected. Her head throbbed again – almost pointedly – and Kagome pressed her palms to her temples.

Sesshomaru reentered the room, the blood of the Monk still lacing his hands and decorating his claws. A splatter or two even adorned his cheeks due to the thrashing of the Monk. Stupid fool wouldn't stay still.

And to think that the ningen wanted the man's life spared. If that Monk were to be released, he would run all over screaming about the location of Sesshomaru's home. And that would just cause some nasty war and possibly damage his abode.

The lord watched as the small woman raised her head from weak hands and peered up at him. Sesshomaru easily saw the pain that the little human was in.

Her eyes widened rather comically, blood rushing from her cheeks. "You…you really-" Sesshomaru was urged to smile. Had she truly thought that he wouldn't? The Monk posed far to much of a security risk for Sesshomaru to compassionately grant him life.

To be honest, he really needed to take care of that Wolf Prince, and his irritating Half-Brother…not to mention those 'friends' of his. The only reason Kagome would live was half from Rin's liking of her, and half from his amusement at her power.

"Come." Sesshomaru ordered as he came out of his musing, turning and striding away. Kagome pushed herself up with some effort, and the lord saw her stumbling and using a wall for support as she attempted to keep up.

"Mmm…" Sesshomaru caught Kagome's attention with his contemplative sound. She lifted her head, blinking quickly with her eyes drifting slightly – unable to focus due to her concussion. "You lied to that healing-man, did you not?" What should have sounded like a question, sounded much more like a statement. He already knew that she had told a falsehood when the Monk asked if she was okay. It was written all over her.

Knowing that she really didn't need to reply, Kagome did so anyways. Still blinking, she murmured, "Yes."

"Sir."

Kagome tilted her head, confused. "…what?"

"If you can't remember to call me 'Lord'," Sesshomaru explained patiently, shocked that he was even allowing this, "Then call me 'Sir'."

Kagome almost told him that this was stupid and she wouldn't even consider doing such a thing…but then realized that not only was that foolish it was just plain suicidal. "Alright…" He stared at her expectantly, both eyebrows raised. "…Sir." She muttered quickly.

Apparently that was enough to appease him for the moment. "Your head still hurts?"

Through heavily gritted teeth, "Yes. _Sir._"

Sesshomaru nodded regally, face wholly impassive. "I see. Come now." Kagome began to follow but slipped as she went and her knees buckled.

She hit hard, her hands slipping out as she went and her elbows trying to take the brunt. But they just gashed on the ground and also went out. So in the end Kagome's chin ended up stopping her fall, meeting a polished wooden floor but good, the crack rather sickening really. Her head snapped back from the force and she yelped, blood filling her mouth from her bitten tounge and dribbling down her newly split chin.

Sesshomaru watched all of that unfold before him with mild facination. She'd tried to catch herself, but hadn't been quick enough. A belated thought, '_Perhaps I should have caught her?_' Crossed his mind. He strolled over to Kagome, looping an arm about her ribs and pulling her up. Kagome grunted as the air was forced from her lungs. "Clumsy ningen."

Sesshomaru's voice came from somewhere above Kagome's left ear. Her head nearly stopped beating and without thinking she stiffened, trying to swallow the blood.

If Sesshomaru noticed, he didn't let on. Instead, he swung her into his arms and began to walk stoically.

For the first time, the fact that he had two arms clicked with Kagome. "Wait. How d'ya have two'rms?" She managed, unable to talk properly yet.

Sesshomaru's left eyebrow rose a bit at her inquiry. "Simple. I killed an Inu Youkai and took it's arm, then hunted down some jewel shards – two in number – and placed them in my shoulder, thereby binding the appendage to myself. Honestly, I've had it since taking you the first time and you're just now realizing it?"

Kagome nearly whapped herself on the forehead (nearly, but stopped after realizing that her head already hurt to much). How she had missed that was beyond her. She supposed that if she needed a reason, there'd been tonds of distractions that may have kept her from noticing. Just a thought.

"…Oh."

They'd reached their destination, Sesshomaru dropped Kagome on her feet and slid the Shoji door open.

In the room was a bucket of water, some lye soap, and a boiling tub of water to top it off. Kagome felt an inexplicable blush crawling up her neck.

Wondering about her sudden spike in body-heat, Sesshomaru coolly inquired, "I assume you know how to bathe?" Kagome nodded, feeling very shy. "Good." Sesshomaru gestured into the room and swept away.

Without furthur ado, Kagome made her way in and slid the door shut. It took intense self-control not to shriek girlishly. A bath would feel GOOD! And a warm one, too! Didn't that just top all?

Wishing that she had her pants to change in to (Sesshomaru had ruined them) and desperately NOT wanting to change back into her own clothing, Kagome stripped and kneeled next to the water bucket.

Wetting the lye soap quickly and scrubbing it over her grimy and bloodied body, Kagome hissed softly. It burned, quite a bit. Scrubbing her hair clean was splendid until Kagome hit the fresh wound. She yelped, a few droplets of still-running blood finding their way to the floor. The happy silence broken, Kagome forced herself to finish washing despite the pain. The only place she left alone was her chin.

Kagome then picked up the bucket and poured it over her head, rinsing the soap off very quickly. The water was freezing and goosebumps rose all over Kagome's body.

Her teeth chattering incessantly, Kagome scurried as quickly as her head-injury would allow to the hot water and slipped beneath the surface. Every over-tensed muscle in Kagome's body relaxed of their own accord. Despite the fact that she was currently re-kidnapped…this was nice.

Eyes closed serenely, Kagome took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting steam…just as a door suddenly slid open.

"Dammit! He freaking got her again!" Inuyasha continued to swear a blue streak.

Miroku and Sango found this eerily likened to a little kid's tantrum, and settled back to learn some new words that hadn't even existed in the feudal era.

"Inuyasha. Calm down! We gotta be smart!" Shippo screamed, trying to get the halfling's attention.

The creature in question rounded on the cherubic little fox-spirit.

"WHAT do you suggest we do?"

"Ask Sesshomaru what he wants." Shippo returned smugly. "And go from that."

"He had a point." Miroku commented.

"Shut up you bloody monk and get these FREAKING scrolls OFF OF ME! Now!"

Sango snorted. "Heh. NO. You go charging in an BAM! Swish! SIZZLE! You're dead, Sesshomaru has Tetsusagia, and he still has Kagome. Leaving us more at a loss than before. We need a careful plan. Something THOUGHT OUT that doesn't involve blind attacks."

"Despite that usually being your style." Miroku put in. Geesh, talk about salt in a wound.

Inuyasha continued to struggle, and then to his shock, Shippou cheerfully slapped a few sealing scrolls on him.

"You gotta stay still, Inuyasha!" He pleaded, "'Cause we can't ever get Kagome back if Sesshomaru kills you!"

"He won't!" Inuyasha argued vehemently, but after seeing the looks spread across his friend's faces, the half-demon finally acquiesed. "Alright. FINE. I'll sit and talk and crap like a rational critter. Happy?"

"Yes. But we're not letting you up." Miroku responded, deadpan. Inuyasha twitched slightly.

Kagome shrieked, dipping down in the water until only her black bangs and chocolate eyes were visible above the dark liquid. Now that her chin was immersed, small crimson billows were spreading out erratically.

"Oops, did I startle you miss? Very sorry." The servant bowed with a polite smile, eyes demurely kept away from Kagome.

The girl in question rose above the water, taking in a slow breath before smiling, "That's okay. I didn't expect someone to suddenly walk in. My fault."

The servant just shrugged, setting her bundle down on a bench next to the door that Kagome had failed to notice. Kagome took that chance to examine the newcomer. The demon was definitely a 'she', judging from voice and the way her waist tapered down incredibly. The female appeared to be almost six feet tall, lanky and sharp, dark skin pulled tight to her bones. Her simple white Kimono had no obi, it was just belted at the waist by a slim silver rope. And if Kagome didn't know any better, she'd have sworn that she was a Lizard youkai. That much was apparent in her serpentine movements, long flat nose…and the fact that she had arms.

"Enjoying yer bath, miss?" The Lizardish servant asked over her shoulder, the question more polite than anything.

'_Oookay…so why is everyone being so POLITE??? Sesshomaru even let me take a bath! That's a good thing…Gifthorse. Mouth. Shush._' Decision made, Kagome smiled. "Yes. Thank you."

"Are ye wanting for anything, Miss?"

"No." Kagome replied, settling back into the hot water and letting it relax her some more. The lizard youkai just smiled, turning back.

"Very well. Sesshomaru ordered these for you." And then she was gone, half-slithering out the door, a long lizard-tail poking out from her Kimono.

Kagome waited until the door was secure, ducked under the water ('_Gah! MY CHIN! Ouch!_') and then removed herself from the comforting liquid. Slowly she made her way, dripping and shivering, to the bundle.

Goody, a towel. She wrapped it around her body quickly, still shivering. It was made of some sort of silky material, not like a modern towel. But it did the trick – possibly better than the towels she was used to.

Patting herself dry, Kagome wrapped her hair in the towel. The next item was a silver Kimono, with a matching obi. She groaned at the task ahead of her. Tying the thing would suck.

Underneath that was a small bottle with some sort of silverish liquid glowing lightly. '_Drink._' Was scrawled neatly on a peace of paper under it, the order ringing with Sesshomaru's tone.

First she pulled on her undergarments, yanked on the Kimono and made quick work of the Obi – nothing fancy. Wrap it around, wrench it into a simple knot used to tie shoes. Bam, boom, done. No muss, no fuss. '_I'm sounding like an internal commerical._' Kagome informed herself snippishly.

After towel-drying her hair until it hung in heavy and slightly-damp waves down her back Kagome finally took a look at the vial once more. Running her fingers through her hair to organize it, she folded the towel and set it down. After another moment's staring uncertainty, Kagome uncorked the bottle and drained the contents in a quick gulp.

They tasted funny. Sort of sour, but not exactly bad. Just…odd. Kagome coughed a bit at the funny stinging in her throat, and recorked the vial. Placing it next to the towel, she left the room – of course folding her cast-off uniform and setting it on the towel.

Kagome really hated being lost, and this was one time she felt it was DANGEROUS to be lost.

"This is stupid." She murmured to herself. Kagome seriously considered bolting – she'd find the way out faster than anything else. But after a moment of careful thought decided against it. Sesshomaru was being polite and civil. He'd gotten a healer for her wound (although he'd inflicted it and later killed the man), offered her a bath, and given her new clothing to wear in the place of the rumpled and bloodied uniform. To be honest Kagome could find no fault thus far in her visit.

So she decided not to waste her energies. Kagome was far to dizzy and off-balance, her head throbbing, to try running. Sesshomaru would sense her leave and then there would be hell to pay.

So the girl just continued to wander.

"Oy. Ningen. Head down the hall, stay to your right, following the wall to your right exactly – even around turns. Eventually you'll reach a door directly in front of you. Go in there. Per Lord Sesshomaru's orders." The snappish voice was gone by the time Kagome turned to investigate.

"…thanks…" She told the air and started to walk, hand on the right of the wall. The stroll was long, and after a while Kagome realized that the throbbing in her skull was fading to be replaced by a rather enjoyable feeling of lightness. '_Ah, the vial contained some sort of painkiller._' The girl realized, greatful. Another pro to this stay.

Finally the door loomed in front of her. Kagome's hand rested on it to slide the door open…but after a moment's thought knocked instead.

Sesshomaru heard the ningen outside of the door.

He'd sensed her in the bathroom, sensed her drink the vial – a good thing, he didn't want to have to force her to do so. Then he sensed her leave the room and instead of going to her sent a servant with instructions, to intent on what she was doing and feeling.

Her uncertainty hit him. Sesshomaru knew that she was getting ready to run. Growling softly he readied himself to follow her. But then realized that she hadn't done so. Instead, she seemed to have decided against the foolish notion. The Taiyoukai was surpised at the insight.

When her hand touched the door, Sesshomaru felt anger slice through his stomach. Dare she enter without permission? Stupid ningen bi- … she knocked.

The anger faded instantly, replaced with amusement and some level of mild respect for her insightful ways as of late.

"Enter." He ordered, and saw the door slide hestitantly open. Kagome stepped in and hesitated just inside the threshold, hand lingering on the door. He sensed her urge to run – to not be cornered by such a powerful animal such as himself.

But Kagome didn't move. And Sesshomaru was again pleased. As fun as a hunt would be, he didn't want to have to hurt her – Rin would be upset. '_Since when do I care?_' He asked himself stubbornly. But Sesshomaru already knew the answer – he'd had a deep set attatchment to Rin since she'd tried to save him when Tetsusagia had done a number on his body.

"Close the door." He ordered lazily, focusing again on the task of drizzling wax onto a letter. Kagome did as she was told and stayed still, leaning against the door lightly as Sesshomaru finished planting his seal. Setting the letter aside, the lord glanced up at her.

Kagome was still staring at him silently, eyes dark and face pale. Sesshomaru noted with a certain amount of pride that she couldn't feel the pain anymore. That was a good thing – it would keep her lucid.

Or…not.

Sesshomaru could see the way she was weaving on her feet. The girl desperately needed to sleep, he realized. Exhaustion combined with a head-injury and a powerful potion were all but leaving the girl asleep on her feet.

The Inutaiyoukai rose coolly, strolling to where Kagome stood. Or weaved. Whatever. "You're tired."

"Brilliant observation, senor." Kagome fired back, testy now that she was starting to grow more and more tired.

"…senor?" Sesshomaru inquired, confused. When did she start making up words?

"…it means 'sir' in another language." The girl snipped. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to strike her for her insolence. He would let this pass purely on the fact that she was genuinely not herself.

"Come." He ordered. But could sense that the ningen had no intention of following his orders. With a low growl he grabbed for her arm but misjudged and got her hand instead.

Not feeling like correcting himself – his ego assured him that he'd meant to aim for her hand – Sesshomaru yanked her behind him as he headed for a room. It wasn't the same one she'd awoken in.

This one was safer, and closer to Rin. Sesshomaru figured it suited her more – the dark colors of the sheet on the futon and polished wood floor set off her skin and hair. Not that he cared (cough).

And no unhappy servants who didn't want her there would be able to enter – they were not allowed in this part of the castle without express permission.

Kagome stood behind him quietly, shaking a bit from the exertion it took to remain awake.

Sesshomaru walked her to the bed. Sitting her down, he sat behind her and without really WANTING too, but knowing he had to, the lord seperated the back of her hair to peer at the gash. It was healing. Slowly – he, himself would have not only been healed but already killing his attacker by now – but the infection was fading due to the healer's poultice.

Releasing her head, he started to rise, but Kagome fell against him. With a jolt, Sesshomaru realized that the girl was asleep.

With a muttered sigh he scooped her up in one arm, pulled the blanket down, plopped her on the futon and dropped the sheet on her.

Half way out the door Sesshomaru stopped. He hated messy things, and the way he'd put her there was just sloppy.

So he went back, placed her on her back, arms and legs straight and pulled the blanket over her, tucking the corners. As though she were in her coffin. And then he set her head dead-center in the futon. Glancing around the windowless room and now satisfied, Sesshomaru left.

As he slid the shoji door behind him shut, he placed a simple ward. It would give Kagome a very soft shock as she left – mostly to let her know he knew that she was out of the room.

Rin practically tackled him. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She cooed. "Tuck Rin in?" Assured that Kagome could not escape without his knowledge, the lord smiled very slightly.

"As you wish, Rin."

_A/N:_

_Again, SOOO sorry for the wait. Now that I've cautiously caught on to a tenative storyline I should be updating more often. Promise._

_Review, please. –grin- Let me know that I've haven't lost everyone in my idiocy that involved not updating, hmmm?_

_Thanks, everyone who's still reading this! And welcome, to anyone new!_

_-Bows and scampers to bed-_


	9. Chapter Nine

_**A/N: **_

**_Words. They cannot say enough to apologize for the ridiculous wait. I just really have had no will to work on any of my fanfiction. Which I know is _horrid_ since I have so many people eager to see what happens. I have finally sucked it up and decided to write a new chapter._**

_**I hope you approve, my good readers.**_

_:The Only Way – Chapter Nine:_

Consciousness was not the abrupt and sudden trip that Kagome was used to. It was slow, riddled with careful thoughts.

_Did I fall asleep on Sesshomaru?_

_My head doesn't hurt anymore._

She rolled over, running a careful hand across her scalp. No pain came from the action, and she let out a relieved sigh.

_How long was I asleep?_

_Why hasn't Inuyasha come for me?_

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, staring uncomprehendingly about for a bit, exhausted simply by the action.

_This is a pretty room._

_Why am I in here? Sesshomaru shouldn't keep a prisoner in a pretty room. It's just not done!_

She rolled over onto her back once more, the sheet twisting around her waist.

_Unless I'm suddenly Belle and he's the Beast._

A slow smile spread across her face as she imagined _anyone_ calling Sesshomaru a 'Beast'. Kagome sat up ever so slowly, her hand now exploring her chin. Where there had been a painful gash, there was no longer even a bruise.

_Where is he?_

_Why am I so dizzy?_

She took a deep breath.

_Why do I care where he is, anyway?_

With a grunt, Kagome shoved herself onto her hands and knees. The kimono had hitched around her waist, flashing quite a bit of leg. She reached back to tug it down, and nearly fell over from the unbalancing. She managed to keep herself upright and preserve her modesty, eyes half-closed against the dim light of the candle lamps in her room.

_No. Not my room. The_ _room. _She amended absently.

Kagome tried to shift her weight onto her knees entirely, carefully lifting her hands.

Everything about this exercise seemed futile and stupid.

_Why don't I just lie down until I can stand up without having to make myself?_

Kagome slowly made her way to her feet.

_Because Sesshomaru is somewhere in this castle, and I refuse to be any more weak around him than I absolutely must._

On her feet, Kagome stopped to pant triumphantly. Peering about, she took in the room one more time. It really was very pretty. Mahogany and dark colours, the futon in the center of the room and a vanity against one wall, a bureau against another.

Not exactly an _extravagant_ room, but certainly better than a dungeon.

Kagome made her way to the door, sliding the shoji open. She started to step through, but jerked back with a gasp. She felt magic. What was Sesshomaru planning? Was he going to keep her prisoner in the room?

_It's a nice room. This wouldn't be bad…wait. No! I'm no one's prisoner!_

Kagome reached out, and ran her fingers along the tendrils of the spell. It wasn't powerful enough to keep an ant in, but it was rigged to send an alarm to Sesshomaru if she left.

She didn't know how she could assess this from the barest touch, but she decided not to argue with her instincts.

It wouldn't be bad to step through. If she were to take the spell down, _that_ would take a _whole_ lot of explaining that she simply did not wish to cover.

With that decision, Kagome stepped through the barrier.

Sesshomaru's head jerked up from his paperwork. She'd left her room.

So soon? It had only been two days…she should have slept longer. The human had been exhausted.

With a smirk, he realized, _She's trying to appear strong and brave. Well. I'll give her points for that – but I wonder how strong she'll feel when she falls again?_

Realizing that he didn't want her to fall again…to preserve his floors, of course – who wants _human_ blood splattered all over their floors?...Sesshomaru got to his feet and swiftly vacated his study. The papers could wait.

Kagome was only one hall over, he found her without even having to take trouble to do so. She was moving slowly, mincing each step with her head tilted slightly to the side.

"Does your head hurt?" Sesshomaru inquired, keeping his voice to a low rumble so as not to scare the girl so much that she fell. Again – think of the floors!

Kagome seemed incapable of reacting quickly, and she slowly turned her head and then the rest of her body, mincing gingerly still, "Yes sir." She murmured.

Sir?

Oh, yes. That's right.

Sesshomaru decided that he didn't like that term so much. It was some newfangled term that one of his underlings had brought back from overseas. Supposed to be on the same level as 'lord'. But he didn't like it, didn't sound right.

Without batting an eye he amended, "Sire, would be preferable."

Kagome stared at him blankly for a moment. _Oh, come on. It's only a letter off you stupid thing._ Sesshomaru thought at her fiercely. He was allowed to change his mind – Lord's prerogative and all that jazz.

"…Yes, sire." Kagome finally said in a tone that belied no question as to why he'd suddenly changed his chosen term. Well, good. He was King, damn it all.

Sesshomaru held out his hand, "Come." He watched confusion flicker over her blanched features before she took his hand carefully.

_Well, I'm not going to rend you from limb to limb._ Sesshomaru thought, still irked with her for no absolute reason, _After all, I'm trying to preserve the sanctity of my floors. I'm only touching you so you don't fall over following me and I don't have to spend all day waiting for you._

This silently announced, as if somehow through osmosis Kagome would _absorb_ his thoughts and sentiments, Sesshomaru led her down a pair of halls that ended in a heavy door. He knew she couldn't open it, which was why he let her come with him. Very few demons could open it – that was the point of triple-steel-enforced doors. Steel was quite the convenient thing.

Sesshomaru set his jaw to keep from making any noise as he slowly heaved the door open, and then ushered the girl inside, closing the door behind them. "This is my healing room."

Kagome turned to him, eyes wide. "What?"

"I heal myself. I do not believe in having healers, so I have a room for it. There are many dangerous things in here – therefore I do not let others in and make sure they stay out by using the door I just closed."

Again, Kagome did not comment and Sesshomaru felt a grudging respect for her ability to, as she would put it, 'shut up', when necessary. Not for her. Just her ability. Just _that_ ability.

Sesshomaru moved across the room, and selecting some herbs and wine he went to a small mixing pot. Ignoring the girl, who stood by the door and obviously resisted an instinct to explore the room, Sesshomaru worked on pounding the herbs to powder and then mixing them into a small glass of wine.

He turned, fully expecting to see the girl touching _something_, but she wasn't.

_I almost want to yell at her for being so good…_ Sesshomaru realized, shaking his head and holding out the drink.

Kagome took it without argument, drinking it rather quickly – what with it being wine and all. Sesshomaru himself knew enough to drink it slowly. Obviously the girl didn't drink much.

Sesshomaru smirked as he watched her cough in surprise and shook his head at her. "My dear – you should not drink it that quickly."

_MY DEAR?_

_My dear?_

Kagome blinked, considering whether or not she could get away with commenting on _that_ slip of the tongue.

She was going to have to start a journal of some sort to resist the urge to comment. _Perhaps I'll go back to my time and blog._

She was still coughing, but her throat didn't burn as much. Now she felt slightly nauseas. In Kagome's experience, it had always been better to just upend the medication and drink it quickly.

Obviously, this one single time, that was _not _the case.

"Got a spoon full of sugar?" She inquired sarcastically. Sesshomaru's ever-so-slightly puzzled look prompted her to mutter, "Sorry."

Kagome leaned her head back to get a breath, and realized that doing so didn't make anything hurt. She wasn't even _dizzy_ now. That was nice.

Sesshomaru frowned at her. Well, more at the door behind her. "I must go hear grievances."

"You must do _what_?" Kagome inquired incredulously.

"I'm the ruler of this land." Sesshomaru responded sharply, "Settling disputes is one of my duties as sworn Lord."

Kagome had to stare at him.

Somehow, she had a hard time imagining such a selfish man being able to solve grievances from selfish people. Sesshomaru could really sit and listen to people whine about whose property the fence was on?

"Okay." Kagome finally decided, not wanting to make him angry over something so small.

Sesshomaru nodded and walked by, shoving the door open again. It was a rather impressive display. Kagome followed him out into the hall, and just continued following him when he gave her no signal to stop.

Soon they came to a familiarly large room. The throne room. Oh, dear. The exit was _right_ over there.

Sesshomaru indicated to one of his servants, Kagome wasn't paying attention to what he said but suddenly he was pressing her shoulder so that she would sit in a chair. It was off to the side, just behind his throne. That way she wasn't intrusive, but he could keep an eye on her.

Oh, lovely.

Kagome remained neatly seated as the 'guests' filed in.

They were from all walks of life. Rich, poor, middle-class. They smelled like roses, or garbage. They were beautiful, ugly, and horrifying.

Kagome saw things that looked like failed Chimeras, a few Satyrs, some centaurs, a Griffin. Things that weren't supposed to _exist_…defiantly not in the feudal era of _Japan_! She saw some demons that looked as normal as Sesshomaru himself – and almost as beautiful. She saw some demons that looked like the horrific little goblins off of Labyrinth.

For a moment, thinking of that movie, Kagome had to wonder if Sesshomaru would look as good in the Jareth pants as David Bowie. Then she decided to stop thinking about it, as it made her blush quite severely.

They were all awfully quiet, just filing in and sitting in chairs that the servants had been rushing about. Not a word was spoken. Sesshomaru reclined on his throne almost lazily, as if he'd been there all day and had been waiting for _them_ … and almost as if this wasn't an inconvenience in the _slightest_, even though Kagome knew for a fact he'd been extremely irritated just before entering the room.

When all of those with complaints had settled in, Sesshomaru lifted his head and his hand. A scroll appeared there. Kagome had never seen him conjure before, and it made her gasp. The sound was startlingly loud in the silent throne room.

Despite her disturbance, Sesshomaru remained unruffled and none of the complainers even glanced her way.

Well, good.

Sesshomaru lazily opened the scroll, peering down at it, "Aolc Yrrehc, and Sraseac. I hear you both have a grievance about the matter of a servant."

"Yes, M'lord." The two in question chorused, on their feet and heaving up to the front to present their case.

Kagome was surprised at the patience Sesshomaru put forth throughout the 'hearing'. He listened to both sides, deliberated for a moment, and then informed them of his decision.

She had read that back then, a grievance was the last resort. The Daimyo – or in this case, the King or Lord, whatever he wanted to be at the moment – was the deciding factor. Their word was law, and there was no arguing with it afterwards.

When the last grievance and been sorted and the two involved shuffled away, Sesshomaru turned his head lazily to peer at her as the scroll winked out of existence. "Surprised?"

"Not as much as I was." Kagome replied, but nodded anyway.

Sesshomaru stood, looking like he wanted to stretch and crack his back. "Come, we have much to do." He started down the hall.

"Much to do about what?" Kagome inquired, scrambling after him. She felt much stronger now, and the sudden movements didn't knock her over.

"I have a ball coming up. I don't really _wish_ to have one, but as it is a tradition my father began I must. You shall attend."

"Me? Why?" Kagome inquired, blinking at him. Well, wasn't this just a ridiculous plot move? It was entirely pointless. What a plot bunny.

"You are mine now, and I am willing to bet that somehow you'll stumble into the ball accidentally. So I therefore must teach you _some_ etiquette, so you don't make me look ridiculous."

"…Yours?" Kagome didn't like where this was going.

"Of course. You are my prisoner – the spoils of 'battle' if you will. I own you now. I'll not have you running about and making me look … as I've heard you say, 'stupid'."

Kagome stared at him. Okay; she took it back. Great plot line. But it sure _sucked_. "I'm not yours."

Sesshomaru glanced down at her and smirked, "Kagome, you don't have the slightest clue as to how very much you belong to me."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Lookee here…I'm still alive. –sigh- I can't believe I poofed again, right after I promised myself I wouldn't. I'm sorry. –bow-**

The Only Way

Chapter Ten

* * *

_Sesshomaru glanced down at her and smirked, "Kagome, you don't have the slightest clue as to how very much you belong to me."

* * *

_

Those words haunted her for the rest of the day. On and off she'd suddenly remember him saying them, and a burning blush would lance across her cheeks. Kagome didn't understand why something that should have pissed her off, as an independent modern woman, kind of…did the opposite.

The first lesson was silence. Sesshomaru explained in no uncertain terms that she was to stay near him all evening and that she was not to initiate any conversations. Kagome didn't mind that, she was a loud girl but at the same time agonizingly shy. Not that the Feudal Era had given her much opportunity to be shy.

Almost seeming surprised by her lack of argument, Sesshomaru hesitated for a second. Kagome tilted her head gently, "I'll do as you say." She promised softly.

"Of course you will." He responded, his haughtiness almost seeming forced as he finally stopped walking, leading her into his study and settling her onto a couch and himself into his familiar wingback chair.

The second lesson was how to respond to contact. When a Taiyoukai spoke to her, she was to respond as tactfully as possible, and should she be forced to speak their name or otherwise refer to them she was to use the proper honorific. Sesshomaru assured her that almost every creature there with a title would state it, so it wouldn't be difficult. Should a servant speak to her, she was to remain tactful but could consider them her equal.

Kagome snorted at that, but nodded with a sigh, "Okay," and shifted on the couch for more comfort. A strange rumbling echoed in the room, and her confused eyes drifted toward Sesshomaru's stomach.

He frowned imperiously, noting the funny look, "It's thunder, you idiot girl." He snapped, pointing at the window. Kagome's gaze went to it, and she saw that indeed the clouds were a threatening black.

The third lesson was clothing. Sesshomaru promised to furnish her with proper clothes, but she would need assistance in putting them on, and as he stated – "The fabrics are worth more than you, so don't you dare ruin them."

By the fourth lesson Kagome was beginning to feel another headache. She wasn't really paying attention anymore, not caring which silverware went where and how she was to sit and where she was to sit and which side of her backside Sesshomaru could kiss. She found that last thought so amusing that she finally dozed off with a contented grin on her face, completely giving up on listening to the InuTaiyoukai beside her.

"Now, when you finish with the third fork…" Sesshomaru's ranting on proper fork-use trailed off when he ventured a glance at the girl and found her fast asleep. He checked his first instinct to shake her awake, taking a slow breath.

She looked cute asleep. If she were more than a lowly human, he might even have called her beautiful. Her guarded expression; the knit eyebrows, the angry turn of her mouth, the frustrated shine in her eyes…it all melted away when she slept to reveal the face of a child.

How had this thing gotten involved with his brother? She was pathetically tiny, probably had no idea how to hold a sword, and he'd kidnapped her…what, twice now? So obviously others had managed it. Honestly she was more trouble than she was worth.

"Stupid girl." Sesshomaru whispered, disgusted at the tiny hint of fondness in his voice, gently reaching a clawed hand out and brushing it over her cheekbone to push her hair off of her face. "What use are you? What was my brother using you for?"

Honestly, he was fairly certain that he had known the answer…but he had forgotten. So in his mind it was something he'd never bothered to look into. Yes. That's it.

Kagome stirred as his claw gently traced her cheek, fascinated by how easily he could just twitch a finger and lay open that delicate porcelain skin. Sesshomaru absent-mindedly made little shushing noises, and she settled down again.

Now thoroughly disgusted with himself, he snatched her into his arms as roughly as he dared and stormed out of the study, taking the girl back to her room.

000ooo000ooo000

_Did I fall asleep on him again?_ Kagome wondered as she stirred, a hand brushing gently over the sheets of the futon. Obviously she had. Dammit. He was probably pissed, too. _But if he's mad…who brought me here?_ Ha, a good question.

She yawned softly, sitting up, her head no longer even hinting at pain. Fantastically pleased with that, Kagome rubbed her eyes and crawled out of the futon – missing her bed at home, what with its nice squishy mattress and pillows. Folded neatly at the foot of the bed was a kimono. Gasp! New clothes? Hooray!

Quite pleased with that, she grinned and went about changing into the kimono. It was a silky material, pitch black with delicate silver flowers embroidered along the bottom and the sleeves in a swooshing pattern. The obi was silver with black flowers, which was also exciting. Illogically excited, she ran her fingers through her hair and went to the door of the room once more.

Just as she reached for the shoji, it swung open. Sesshomaru hesitated, at first looking startled – and then his eyes resumed their normal size and slowly slid up and down her frame. Blushing, Kagome swallowed hard and looked away from him, scuffing her toe. No way did he just give her an up-down look. He was obviously…ah…looking for…at…um….he was making sure her kimono was on properly. That was it. Definitely.

Sesshomaru smirked at her red cheeks, and held out a cup. "Tea." He murmured. Kagome smiled, startled, and took it from him with a nod of thanks. "Come."

Mulling over his wordiness, Kagome nodded again and followed behind him as he headed down an intricate pattern of hallways. And just like that, they were standing outside in the garden and Rin was chattering noisily all about her new grasshopper friend, which she had hidden in her cupped hands.

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru knelt beside her, and with a few gentle words convinced the young girl to let it go. Surprised that he hadn't just told her to squish it or something, Kagome took another long sip of her tea and tilted her head at Rin. The little girl was racing around after a butterfly now.

"I thought she wasn't allowed out here alone?" Kagome wondered softly.

"She's not alone."

"She was a moment ago!" She argued, frowning.

"She was fine." He snapped, "Silence yourself."

Startled at how insulted he sounded, Kagome flinched and decided to shut the hell up, just sipping her tea. He kept frowning at her until it became obvious that she'd been cowed into silence. Then he just smirked, until she looked up and made a face at him. Then he looked annoyed and just turned his face away.

The beginning of a beautiful friendship. Haha.

000ooo000ooo000

Kagome had never attended a real ball before. Or even a fake one, really. The closest she got was a school dance, but she didn't expect to hear any rap music and definitely hoped the dancing would be less like having sex standing up in the middle of other people doing the same thing.

The music was actually a beautiful symphony, the moment she trailed Sesshomaru into the room Kagome knew she'd be focused on the fantastic instrumentals for the rest of the evening. At least it had some sort of entertainment value.

Her kimono was stunning, white with delicate red detailing. It was similar to Sesshomaru's, which she assumed helped the others discern that she was with him. Rin had been sent to bed hours ago, or she would probably have had the same style of outfit…that would have been adorable, if not eerily 'family'-esque.

"Sit." Sesshomaru muttered. Kagome started, having been completely unfocused on what was going on, and barely managed to adjust to sit down instead of walking into his suddenly unmoving back. She settled onto a cushion, her legs neatly folded beneath her. After being sure that she was secure, Sesshomaru walked away.

Fan-freaking-tastic. Kagome finally took up a pair of forks and played makeshift drums with them until she saw him coming back. Then she put them down and looked around innocently, pretending she'd been completely good the whole time. Shhhh.

Sesshomaru frowned down at her for a moment, and then a new song began to play and a smirk crept over his face. "Dance?" He offered softly, holding his hand out to her.

Kagome stared at it. Dance? Was that allowed? Wasn't she technically a servant?

Ah, why not.

Taking his hand, the dark haired girl stood, twitching her kimono into place as she followed him onto the floor. The song reminded her of the tango. And when she suddenly found herself pressed hip-to-hip with the demon lord it became apparent that it was a lot like the modern day tango.

Blushing, she tried to shy away, and Sesshomaru frowned imperiously, "The dance must be done a certain way. Come now." He began to walk her in one direction as Kagome squirmed uncomfortably, not pleased with this game. A dip, a spin, and they were going the other way.

"I feel stupid." She snapped.

"That shouldn't be a new sensation." Sesshomaru responded smoothly, smirking as she went red.

They kept dancing.

At first he refused to let her bolt, forcing her to continue. Slowly it evolved into coaxing, his hands gentler as he led her through the moves, teaching her. Finally Kagome was dancing with him willingly.

The music came to an end abruptly, and Kagome felt an irrational surge of sadness. No more Sesshomaru's warm body? But he smelled so nice.

A hand wrapped around her wrist from behind, spinning her away from the Inutaiyoukai and pressing her to a new chest.

"How's about you dance with me now, girl?"

A growl sounded from behind her, where Sesshomaru stood alone now. Uh-oh.


	11. Chapter Eleven

The Only Way

**Oh hi.**

**Written Listening To: Meet Me in St. Louis starring Judy Garland**

"**Nothing I Won't Give" from Metafiction, sung by Vic Mignoga (yes that's right, the guy who plays Edward on Full Metal Alchemist. It's wonderful. Find it and listen to it all the time.)**

The Only Way

Chapter Eleven

* * *

"_How's about you dance with me now, girl?" A growl sounded from behind __her, where Sesshomaru stood alone now. Uh-oh._

* * *

Kagome froze, staring wide-eyed up at the chest of the Taiyoukai who had decided to snatch her from Sesshomaru. Was he really that stupid? Of course, what could Sesshomaru do in the middle of a ball? Technically this was a "neutral" event, so if he struck out at this Taiyoukai for his insolence, all hell would break loose.

Kagome didn't need to have any sort of lessons in the Art of Throwing a Ball to know the politics of the situation. For a moment she dropped her eyes to the glimmering floor – mahogany, Sesshomaru seemed entranced by his woods. Kagome briefly wondered if mahogany was even prevalent in the Sengoku Jidai, before she realized she was being yanked along in a dance that she should definitely pay attention to.

Lifting her head she attempted to rest her palms on the stranger's chest, to push him away, and got her first good look at him. He looked like a tiger, no other description for it. He had golden eyes that should have matched Sesshomaru's but didn't have the same diamond-smooth quality; his were more…tame. His face was orange, covered in fur, with faint black streaks along his cheeks and one over his nose. For his tiger-esque appearance he was remarkably humanoid – bipedal, with average facial features.

As she pushed, Kagome felt the first pricks of claws at her waist. Oh, wow. He was not playing around and he had very, very sharp claws. She stopped shoving and let him lead her around the dance floor, her kimono brushing the floor as she glanced surreptitiously around, seeking Sesshomaru. Feeling suddenly alone without him there.

Despite his frightening presence, she knew full well that he wasn't going to hurt her – if for nothing more than the fact that it seemed to be a huge pain for him to heal her. So of course he wouldn't inconvenience himself. Ironic that the only reason she knew she was safe was because it was _inconvenient_ to him for her to be injured. But whatever worked! Safe is safe, be in due to him liking her or not wanting to bother with cleaning up her blood.

"What's your name, human?" The Taiyoukai whispered against her ear, speaking that way to piss Sesshomaru off – Kagome could tell. He was trying to be "intimate." Did he not realize he was going to get her killed if he kept this up? Sesshomaru may not be able to hurt _him_ but _she_ was just a human. If she played along the Lord of the castle may change his mind about what was inconvenient.

Turning her face away, Kagome muttered her name, before adding, "I'd rather like to sit down. I've been ill and I'm still recovering and all of this dancing is exhausting me. Excuse—"

"You don't need to sit down. Come on." The Taiyoukai spun her in another circle, "I'm having far too good of a time with you, Kagome. I'm Sourne."

Sourne… huh. Well. "Lord Sourne, I would like to sit down."

"Come, come, the dance isn't even half over." He didn't appear inclined to let her whine her way out of this and kept moving her. Soon her muscles began to relax, and slowly Kagome decided that perhaps this wasn't too bad. He was a good dancer, he wasn't hurting her, and hell… he was actually a pretty funny guy.

"That's Lady Naeith; she has got _the_ highest voice you'll ever hear. Wait 'til she gets irate with Sesshomaru at dinner – oh, she will, I promise. That woman has a wicked temper – she will get to a decibel so high you won't know what to think of it!"

Kagome laughed, "I don't know, a friend of mine back home is really prone to getting high pitched."

"Oh, you'll see." He hesitated, no longer telling her names, instead focused on her face, "Where are you from?"

"North." Kagome responded instantly, not about to offer, _Well see I'm a powerful priestess from about five hundred years in the future. Oh, yes, there's a well you can hop through if you think it sounds like a good idea to take over the future._

"North--?"

"If you don't mind." Sesshomaru's voice cut in, cold as ice, "I've been very patiently waiting, but I believe four songs is more than enough. Kagome." He held his hand out.

Kagome hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, and then she took Sesshomaru's hand. Sourne's hand held at her waist for a long heart-stopping moment before he let go and stepped back with a smirk that showed a mouth full of fangs – wow, how had she missed _that_ during all of the talking? "Have a lovely evening, Kagome, I hope to see you again." With a wink and a bow he vanished with a rustle of silk pants and perfectly pressed shirt.

Sesshomaru's fingers tightened around hers and Kagome hissed, "Ouch; Sesshomaru, you're hurting me."

"Ah." He released his tight grip and with slightly less pressure directed her toward the table, "Dinner." He announced to a small female servant as he walked by, and she raced off to pass the word. Kagome moved toward the cushion she'd settled on previously – but Sesshomaru caught her by the hand he still grasped and tugged her to a different cushion, next to his. "You won't be able to eat that far away." He murmured by way of explanation, and knelt at his own cushion, looking for all the world like the most comfortable creature in the world, his luxurious white hair piled on the floor behind him. For a moment Kagome was jealous – she'd never gotten her hair to grow below her waist without getting a million split ends and that nasty two inches of supremely thin hair that just made it look like she didn't take care of it. Thinking of hair made her automatically reach up to brush her fingers through her own long black hair, noting it ended just below her shoulder blades. It had grown a little since her last check; cool.

Sesshomaru was staring at her. Kagome stiffened and dropped her hands into her lap, face questioning. "I said; do you prefer meat or fruit?"

"I really don't have a favourite." Kagome mumbled, cheeks burning, "I guess if I had to choose—"

"You don't. I just wanted to know if you preferred one or the other." Sesshomaru turned to nod at the servant behind his shoulder, who bolted away.

"Oh. Okay." Kagome sat stiffly. Figures that for the two seconds she'd chosen to zone out, Sesshomaru would want to speak to her. Dinner was served only minutes later, and Kagome found that the woman with the high voice _did_ hit absolutely insane decibels. Her plate was special, just "human" food, whereas the demons ate something she'd never seen before. At her inquiry Sesshomaru assured her that it was something that would likely make her very ill, and no – she didn't want to try it.

So she didn't.

After dinner came more dancing, and Kagome was growing very, very tired. She sat twiddling a fork, beginning to doze off, wondering exactly how long these people planned to just … hang out. Would they really last through the night? A touch to the small of her back jerked her upright from where she'd been lazing halfway on the table, the fork's clattering to the ground suddenly loud in her ears as she peered up at Sourne. "I want you to come with me." He breathed.

"…What? No." Kagome responded instantly. She didn't know him, Sesshomaru would _so_ be pissed off, and Inuyasha wouldn't be able to come for her. No way would he know to follow her to this strange Taiyoukai's land.

"I didn't ask." Sourne responded firmly, catching her by the arm and hoisting her to her feet, "Sesshomaru doesn't like humans. I know that. I am pretty fond of them – not all Taiyoukai are, but I rather like them. You're so fragile, it's fascinating. Your lives are just a _blink_ and you live them with such reckless abandon to get so much crammed into such an infinitesimal amount of time…"

"Let me go!" Kagome demanded, eyes wide. NO. Oh _hell_ no. She was not getting kidnapped from her kidnapper. This was getting so thoroughly _ridiculous_. "I am not going with you."

"Must you do this _everywhere_ you go?" Sesshomaru snapped as he lifted Kagome, and deposited her behind him, "That's enough, Sourne. Much more of this and I will find your lands adding to mine."

Sourne snorted, back stiff, "You don't like humans, Sesshomaru. Why are you so _married_ to this girl? You have no use for her."

"True." Sesshomaru responded, quirking a brow, "But I have her, you don't, and we're going to keep it that way. My ward needs a human woman to teach her the ways as such, so of course I will get nothing less than the best for her. Kagome can protect her and teach her. Now _sit down_. You've been drinking."

"Demons can get drunk?" Kagome inquired of Sesshomaru's back, startled. She'd never expected to hear _that_.

"Of course," Sesshomaru responded, "It's probably more difficult for a demon than a human, but it's entirely possible."

Kagome had a sudden reckless image of challenging a demon to a drinking contest. Wouldn't that be funny. Strange though; she hadn't seen anything that resembled alcohol… of course she hadn't really examined everyone's goblets.

"I want her." Sourne pressed.

"You want her power." Sesshomaru shot back, "You know she's the reincarnation of Kikiyou."

Did _everyone_ know Kikiyou?

"You know she's carrying the soul of one of the most powerful humans to ever exist…and you know you can tap that power for your own gain. You will not. If you want her this badly you should have struck before I did. Now sit down, or leave. I don't particularly care which you're going to choose but I'm dangerously close to taking insult."

Taking insult? What would happen with Sesshomaru took insult? Kagome wanted to see a slapping match. When the mental image startled giggles from her she realized she was tired. She was in fact tired enough that she had gone right over wanting to doze off and right into the hyperactivity of the state referred to as "slap-happy."

"Why are you laughing?" Sesshomaru inquired of her, looking somewhat aggravated by her lack of respect for the situation.

"I am not laughing." Kagome responded immediately, eyes wide as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I really, really need to go to bed."

Sesshomaru's eyes drifted to the clock and he considered the time, and then his gaze shifted to the table and he frowned, reaching down and picking up her goblet, eying it. "…you're drunk."

"I'm what?" Kagome inquired with a laugh, "I am not. It was just fruit juice."

"No, it wasn't." Sesshomaru fiercely returned the goblet to the table, pale liquid sloshing over his hand, and whirled, catching Kagome by the arm and dragging her with him from the room, leaving Sourne where he stood and growling under his breath. "You were to be served water. I didn't realize they'd mixed your goblet with another. How much did you drink?"

"I dunno." Kagome responded waspishly, "I didn't realize I was being drugged. Although it was kind of sweet so I sort of didn't really drink too much."

"Good. If you'd finished the whole goblet you'd probably be more sick than you've ever imagined. That wine isn't meant for humans to consume."

"Why not?"

"It is strong. Very strong. It's an elven brew."

"Elves?" Kagome responded in surprise.

"Yes, it was specifically imported for this event. Cost a damn pretty penny too." Sesshomaru shook his head, "You're lucky you're still walking. Does your head feel light?"

"Of course it does. I thought I was just tired." Kagome mumbled as she stumbled over her own feet, "Dammit. Sesshomau, where are we going?"

"I'm getting you to your room before you're even _more_ vulnerable. You'll never be able to control your power while inebriated." Sesshomaru responded firmly, finally getting her into her room.

Kagome pranced inside and then giggled, gazing around, "How come you kidnapped me again, Sesshomaru?"

"How come?" He hesitated in the doorway.

"Yeah. I mean you didn't even make a big production out of it so Inuyasha would know or anything. You didn't demand the Tetsusaiga. You didn't even –"

"I took you again because Rin missed you. You're a powerful human, as I said, and don't think I've forgotten the lengths you went to, to protect her. Therefore I wanted to bring you for her."

"Really?" Kagome stepped toward him and stumbled over her own slippered feet, her sudden fall startling Sesshomaru badly enough that he actually reached out and caught her around the waist, keeping her on her feet. "Is that the only reason?"

The white-haired Lord froze for a moment, startled by her sudden grasp on his collar, not quite sure how to handle this.

Either it was a placebo effect, and Sesshomaru _saying_ she'd been drinking powerful wine made her _feel_ drunk… or she'd been slowly but surely getting more and more drunk and had only attributed it to her exhaustion. Either way she was feeling rather… uninhibited. It was nice.

"Kagome. Remove yourself from my haori." Sesshomaru commanded quietly.

"Nu-uh. What's the real reason?"

"That _is_ the real reason you useless creature." He shifted to shove her off, having the good grace to aim his shove in the direction of her futon, but she was faster and pressed her lips to his.

Everything froze for a long, _loooooong_ moment. Then Sesshomaru pried her off, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, dropped her – well, moreso _flung_ her—onto her futon and stormed from the room, slamming the shoji so hard he damn near threw it off the hinges.

Kagome sat silently for a moment, and then she started to giggle. The giggling morphed into an all-out laugh and she threw herself to lay on her back, feeling light. She'd seen a bit of a _blush_ on Sesshomaru's cheeks. He had not expected that. _And_ he hadn't killed her.

When she closed her eyes, she saw Inuyasha's face on her eyelids, looking rather confused – with that "hurt puppy" look he'd cultivated just to get what he wanted out of her. Wide-eyed and innocent with a hint of pleading, pretending fragility. "Oh shut up." Kagome snapped, rolling onto her stomach, "You kissed Kikiyou first."

The next morning, Kagome was experiencing her first hang-over. It wasn't what she'd always read about… just a headache would have been _wonderful_. But oh no. That wasn't to be her luck. She spent an hour huddled in the bathroom, too nauseas to move, too nauseas to attempt drinking water, too sick to throw up. Honestly, the brief buzz before she'd gone to sleep wasn't worth this.

She swore to never drink again, and then amended it to never drinking elf-wine, and then amended _that_ to never drinking something without asking what it was first, and finally dissolved into "please, please, pleaaaaase."

A hand touched her back, pressing to the small of it, warm. A comforting presence. Kagome simply didn't have the energy to look up and find out who was there. Something warm dropped over her shoulders, and she glanced down to see Sesshomaru's haori. Her surprise redoubled as he held something under her nose.

She had enough time to think 'is that a shot glass of vodka?' before she was paying homage to the porcelain God so violently that she damn near gave herself whiplash. Sesshomaru remained behind her, his hand still on the small of her back, the shot not reappearing to Kagome's eternal relief. It felt like an eternity, but in reality was only half an hour before something fizzy was under her nose and Sesshomaru coaxed her into drinking something that tasted like Sprite. When she had a bit of liquid in her he scooped her up and carried her several halls to a small dining area, depositing her and pushing a plate in front of her.

"Toast. You don't want it, but it will help."

"Noooo." Kagome moaned, turning her face away from the plate like it was the bane of her existence.

"Don't argue. Just eat. Small bites." He waved a hand, annoyed by her defiance. "Hurry up. It will settle your stomach once you get over the nausea. Bread is best."

Kagome defied him for a few more minutes before finally whimpering and giving up, closing her eyes and shaking her head, "Fine."

To her astonishment, two pieces of toast in she was guzzling the fizzy drink and scarfing at the toast desperately. And it _did_ help. She remembered hearing something about how bread helped absorb alcohol… whatever it did, she was glad Sesshomaru knew about it.

"Better?" He smirked, pleased with himself. Clearly thinking that she should have obeyed him right away.

"Yeah." Kagome mumbled, "Who gave me wine?"

"I don't know." Sesshomaru responded, "But it will not happen again. From now on if it isn't water, ask me what it is, understand?"

"Yes." Kagome responded slowly, wondering if he was going to mention her… indiscretion earlier. She wasn't entirely sure of the rules of the era insofar as kissing Demon Lords but she was pretty sure she'd erred.

"Rin is in the garden, as soon as you're feeling better I'd like you to go play with her." He hesitated on his way out of the room, "I would also like you to keep your human lips to yourself, Kagome."

For a moment she sat in silence. And then she dissolved into giggles again, finished her toast and drink, and headed to the gardens – realizing how much of the castle she knew by heart now. She couldn't even see evidence of the damage done previously by the large demon; had Jaken really gotten the crews working _that fast?_ Wow. Modern day workers could take a page out of demon books – "do it now or you die" seemed to be a great motivator.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**So despite my need to marathon Rurouni Kenshin I've found myself in the mood to write Inuyasha. Figures; eh? Well hell, everyone wins. And an update so fast? Unheard of for me hahaha. Good grief... I just reread some older chapters for a quick fact-check and realized I posted this story five years ago and I was certainly writing like a fourteen-year-old with wayyyy too much free time. -sigh- I'm amazed people put up with me. -tsk-**

**Respectfully,**

**DoN**

* * *

The Only Way

Chapter Twelve

* * *

Time passed, as it was prone to do, and Kagome awoke one morning to realize, with a bolt of horror, that she'd actually fallen into a routine at this castle. In fact she'd been out, by herself, more than once and hadn't even tried to run. She lay silently on her futon, considering the situation. _Why am I not trying to run?_

She hadn't fallen for Sesshomaru, that was for sure. He was still just as arrogant and frustrating as always...yet... she almost felt comfortable with him. Perhaps it was the memory of the day he'd knelt in the bathroom while her as she was sick and kept a comforting hand on her back... perhaps it was just the knowledge that all he wanted from her was a playmate and teacher for Rin...

Perhaps it was the fact that he hadn't once called her ugly (not that he had called her pretty, either), hadn't called her stupid in weeks, hadn't shouted at her, hadn't forced her to walk and run and fight for days on end with little or no sleep. As much as she felt dedicated to Inuyasha, she was terrifically tired of hunting shards.

_It's my duty..._ Her mind piped up angrily, _I broke the jewel. I'm the only one who can see the shards... and I'm just going to abandon Inuyasha because it's _easier_ to just lay around all day and then get up and play with a child?_

Well she _was _a prisoner...

_I know I'm a prisoner, but if I put my mind to it, I can run!_

But what if Sesshomaru caught her? When she'd last mentioned it he'd dared her to get fifteen feet before he'd catch her. So when she ran and he snatched her up... then what would he do? _He can hurt me, and won't have to kill me or even leave marks... _But _would_ he, was the question.

_I could take Rin. Take her hostage._ Oh yeah. Because something like _that_ would turn out _so_ wonderfully for her. Kagome didn't even want to venture down that path of thought and squashed the idea violently enough that her right temple began to ache.

Rubbing her forehead she sat up, looking around – almost as if needing to check and be sure that Sesshomaru wasn't standing there poised to smack her for even briefly considering the possibility of kidnapping the young girl. She stood slowly, stretching as she gazed around the room again and went to the trunk Sesshomaru had gifted her with a few days ago; it was full of kimonos. _So you don't have to bother me for new clothing_ he had informed her as he set it down in the corner. She'd tried to move it and it had been too heavy for her to even push, so in the corner it stayed.

Something felt funny today. Kagome realized she had a strange feeling of something being "off" as she slid her arms into blue silk sleeves, frowning as she tied the obi. What was wrong? Was she forgetting something special? A birthday? How long had she been here... no, she was months away from any birthdays. So why did she have such a funny feeling?

"Oh knock it off." She snapped at her stomach, rolling her eyes, "Maybe I'm just hungry."

Kagome slid the shoji open, feeling the familiar pop against her skin – dammit, why did Sesshomaru insist on _still_ casting that spell? - and stepped through. She was jumpy as she walked down the dim halls, realizing she'd woken up strangely early today; the sun was still barely coming up, so the natural light the hallways relied on for most of the illumination wasn't there yet.

"Why am I up so early?"

"I could ask the same thing." Sesshomaru's voice came from behind her. Kagome turned, and froze for a moment as a bolt of lust hit her. Pure lust. No ifs ands or buts about it. Following the lust came immediate guilt. _He just... looks like Inuyasha right now. That's it._

He was wearing a pair of loose, white, silk pants. For a moment Kaoru wondered why he wasn't wearing a yukata, then she wondered if he'd just pulled the pants on to come investigate and slept without anything, and then she grew even more flustered and just stared at him open-mouthed. He had no shirt on, his pale chest glinting smoothly in the dim light, his long white hair messy, long strands falling into his face.

And those _eyes_. They fairly glowed, shimmering, standing out even more starkly due to the shadows falling over the rest of his nonchalant face.

"Well?" He prompted softly, stepping toward her. Kagome matched him a step back automatically, a primal reaction, knowing only that he had the look of a predator and she was not up for being prey. "You're acting strangely, Kagome." When was the last time he'd used her name? The ball? It was usually _ningen_ or _human_ or something equally frustrating. "Kagome. What's the matter? Are you running a fever? Did something else happen?" He almost sounded genuinely worried about her. "I've grown used to not being able to silence you – why are you just staring at me? Speak."

She flinched and finally mumbled, "I woke up and thought I had to get up and now I'm up and something doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't feel right?" Sesshomaru was stepping close instantly, eyes narrow, "Do you feel that someone is in danger, here? Are you feeling threatened, or do you feel that Rin is threatened?" Interesting how he didn't name himself as a possible victim. "Listen to the feeling."

"Listen to it?" Kagome gazed up at him, astonished. Inuyasha had never once told her to _listen_ to her feelings. He had just told her to shut up and go back to sleep – and he was the one watching them so he'd wake her if something was actually wrong.

"You're a woman; women have an extraordinary sense for such things, even if you are a human female." Sesshomaru seemed so matter-of-fact about it.

Kagome had never heard something so... positive... toward a woman come out of his mouth. Especially not something that didn't refer to a female as a "wench." Her mouth worked for a moment, and then she bit her lower lip and turned her face away, "I don't know what the feeling is, Sesshomaru. I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brow, "So this feeling woke you early, chased you from bed, and had you walking down a dark hall looking like you were going to leap out of your frail skin any second... and you have no idea what it's telling you?"

"I've never really had to listen to my feelings much, before. Inuyasha usually took care of it." Kagome admitted timidly, dropping her head.

"Feh." Sesshomaru muttered, "He never taught you a goddamn thing, did he? Useless half-breed."

"I don't think he was concerned with teaching me anything. I think he was concerned with finding the jewel shards."

"Ah." Sesshomaru hesitated, "Kagome."

"Yes?"

"Where are those shards?"

"...Oh my God." She whirled and bolted to her room, tearing through her things before her gaze went to Sesshomaru, who had followed her, "The _shards_! Where are the shards? Where's the clothing I came here in!? Oh, the ... the gardens!" She tore by him, bolting toward the gardens where she'd gone first after she'd gotten to the castle.

She had put the damn shards in her jeans pocket. But she had no memory of what had happened _after_ that. "Oh God, come on, come on, oh they aren't _here_!" She was nearly in tears, tearing through grass and flowers as if they would somehow obscure the small bottle full of three-fourths of a Shikon jewel. "No, no, _no_..."

"They are not here?" Sesshomaru conjectured from behind her, and Kagome didn't bother to look up or answer, darting back and forth over the grass pleading with some unseen person. "Where else could they be, Kagome?" She didn't seem to hear him. Finally he sighed and caught her up by the waist, hauling her up against him and frowning. "Settle down. Where else could they be?" Her head snapped back and forth still, panicked by the lack of shards on the ground. It would have been so much _easier_. Those shards were sitting all alone for months, no way were they still just fine! Where _were they_? "KAGOME!"

A low groan escaped the girl and she slumped, "I don't _know_..." Kagome moaned miserably.

"Yes you do, you stupid girl. Listen to your instincts."

He barely had time to finish his sentence before Kagome was thrashing in his arms, "THE WELL! They're at the well, they must be! I had just come out when you grabbed me, they're at the well!"

Sesshomaru's brows flew up and he stood still for a moment before he let her go and turned, "Climb on."

"...huh?" Kagome managed breathlessly.

"If a demon gets ahold of that much of the Shikon jewel, they may be able to challenge me for my lands. I do not want this to happen. You are the protector of the jewel, and it's calling to you, which tells me if we don't go to it, someone else will. I'd rather you have the jewel and don't fuss over keeping you away from it and having to stop you from wandering out of your room at all hours. Now hurry up."

Kagome hesitated still, staring at his bare back. Finally she closed her eyes and crawled onto Sesshomaru's back, linking her arms around his shoulders. He slid his arms under her knees and without a word of warning they were off, darting at a speed Kagome hadn't known anything remotely humanoid could approach.

She began to feel nauseas as they ran, having a hard time breathing, feeling like all the pressure in the world was compressing her lungs. She moaned miserably on Sesshomaru's shoulder – which, by the way, smelled like something wonderful that at the moment she couldn't name – and then she blacked out.

* * *

"I don't even know what these damn shards are supposed to look like... shards or did they fuse into the jewel? How was she keeping them?" Sesshomaru's muttering was what woke Kagome from her unconscious bliss.

She stirred slowly, baffled by the grumblings, and rubbed her eyes as she struggled to her feet. "Sesshomaru? Where--?"

The well.

The well was _right there_.

She could run. And jump. And go right back home! She could go home and wait Sesshomaru out and come back maybe in a month or so and then return to Inuyasha...

But Sesshomaru could chase her, just as Inuyasha could. If that happened...she didn't want to imagine Sesshomaru in the modern day. Inuyasha's visits were always humorous... Sesshomaru's would be deadly.

So despite the longing to go home, to see her brother and her family and even that silly fat cat of hers... Kagome turned her back to the well. She had to protect everyone from Sesshomaru. She wouldn't dare loose a Inutaiyoukai such as Sesshomaru in a world that he could destroy, or rule, on a whim.

"I'm trying to find your jewel shards." He muttered, "I'm afraid it's much more difficult for me than it would be for you."

"O-oh." Kagome looked around for a moment and then a flood of paralyzing relief hit her and she snatched the small glass vial up from the grass nearby the well. "I can't believe it. I can't _believe_ they're still here!"

Was it... the same thing that kept the well from being noticed by every demon within range? Some sort of cloaking? Had they just gotten immensely lucky and the shards had fallen within that special magic?

Whatever it was, Kagome was grateful. She hugged the shards close, terrifically relieved.

"Is the feeling gone, Kagome?"

"Yes." She whispered softly, "Yes. The feeling is gone. Why did you go so far out of your way for this?"

Sesshomaru hesitated before he finally approached and stood very still, gazing down at her. "I ... if these words are ever repeated, ever, I will end you. Do you understand?" At her nod he continued, "I like you. I don't know why I like you. You are a human, I acknowledge that, but I have the same inexplicable feelings for you as I do for Rin. Therefore I do not want to see you in pain. You were panicked this morning; and this calmed you."

Kagome felt her jaw hanging loose as she stared up at the Lord of the Western Lands, astonished by the words that fell from his lips. "...oh."

"Don't ever repeat that. And don't try to take advantage of it." His voice was ice cold now, "Come, we must return." He turned his back to her and gestured, and Kagome stuffed the shards down the front of her kimono, wedging it in between her stomach and the obi. It was uncomfortable, but she knew the shards weren't going anywhere. Then she crawled onto his back.

And promptly passed out once more as the running and pressure began again.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**The rennaisance faire is frickin awesome. So is the _three hour freaking drive_ to get there. Rofl. So this was written in a car, listening to ... uh... I have no idea what the hell I'm listening to, but it involves my roomie singing along (It's "Black Parade" apparently). Anyhoo, this was written in a car and for some reason my laptop hates letting me see the screen when it's not plugged in so here's hoping this makes sense 'cause I'm quite literally typing without looking. I apologize for the lateness; I meant to put this up Sunday but it didn't quite work out that way.**

* * *

The Only Way

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

"We there yet?" Came the voice of one incredibly frustrated half-demon. Again. He'd been whining for the last four hours, asking about every fifteen minutes if they were "there yet." Quite honestly it was beginning to piss everyone off. Except Shippou, who had taken up residence on his chest and gone right to sleep.

Sango glanced back at the wagon they'd stuffed Inuyasha in and then enlisted Kirara to haul, clearly annoyed. "No, for the love off all that is holy, we are _still not there yet_." She was really beginning to hate him. Kagome better appreciate the hell it was keeping Inuyasha safe and stopping him from bull-headedly throwing himself into Sesshomaru's castle while demanding the return of his shard detector.

Miroku patted the demon huntress' arm with a sympathetic expression on his face, rolling his eyes as the half-demon swore a blue streak. "This would be so much goddamn faster if I weren't being hauled around by a stupid damn cat why can't I just walk?" Inuyasha worked himself back into a tantrum.

"Because if we let you walk you'll get us killed. Sesshomaru didn't even demand the Tetsusaiga when he kidnapped Kagome this time – so what if he has other plans? What if he just wants you to come racing in to "rescue" her so he can kill you?"

"I highly doubt it. He isn't _that_ smart." Inuyasha snorted.

"Well isn't this cozy." Came an arrogant voice that brought them all to an abrupt halt. Kagura, from whom they hadn't heard in quite a while, was standing just up ahead with her arms crossed and her fans in a lazy grip.

"What do you want, bitch?" Inuyasha called from where he lay, feeling absolutely ridiculous. It was impossible to be intimidating while trussed up and bespelled.

"What do I _always_ want?" Kagura chided.

"We don't have the shards. Go make trouble somewhere else." Miroku interrupted, frowning at the woman with narrow eyes.

"Loathsome monk." Kagura muttered, rolling her eyes. "Guya!"

Guya? They all stood still for a moment, trying to figure out where this rather random word had come from, and that moment cost them as lightening seemed to explode from everywhere at once, upsetting Inuyasha's wagon and pitching him to the ground – which he swore about, of course – and knocking his companions to the dirt as well.

A mad cackling filled the air, Kagura suddenly gone, in her place a large man with no hair and glowing white eyes. He wore robes that mimicked Miroku's monk garb, only in a blood red colour, a heavy amulet around his neck. Sango tried to stand and fling her Hirakotsu, still shaky from the minor earthquake they'd all suffered, and missed.

Guya gave them no chance to recover and attack, he began to move his hands in a complicated pattern, eyes narrow as he chanted under his breath and lifted both hands suddenly into the air, dropping them with just as much abruptness.

Everything turned upside down.

"Spell..." Kagome hesitated, drawing out the word as she considered her options, "Hmmmm... spell _flower_."

Rin narrowed her eyes in concentration, chewing on her lower lip contemplatively – a nasty habit she'd picked up from Kagome – and slowly offered, "F – L – A – W – A – R."

"Nearly." Her tutor praised, correcting her, "But the ow sound comes from an O, not an A, remember?" At the nod she waved a hand, "Go on, try it again."

"F – L – _O_ – W –_ O –_ R?"

Dammit. "Right, right," Kagome praised again, "But since O makes the Ow sound, what leteter makes an Er sound?"

"Er?"

"Eh. Eh." Kagome coached, wriggling her fingers promptingly, trying to coax the correct spelling before both of them lost their patience.

"F – L – O – W – _E –_ R?"

"Yes!" Kagome practically shouted, leaping to her feet and spinning Rin in a circle, "Excellent!" They'd spent most of the morning moving Rin beyond "Cat" and "Dog" and now she'd managed to spell "flower" _mostly_ by herself. "You've got it!"

Rin squealed, and escaped Kagome's arms, racing to throw her arms around the legs of the Taiyoukai who had approached during Kagome's attempts to help Rin reason the spelling of "flower."

"Rin spelled it, Rin spelled it!"

"So I saw." Sesshomaru rested a hand on her head, "Didn't Miss Kagome teach you about how to refer to yourself though, Rin?"

"I." Rin corrected promptly, "I spelled it."

"Very good. You've been hard at work all morning, why don't you go to the kitchen and get something to eat?"

Rin cheered and raced from the room, leaving Kagome and Sessshomaru alone. Things had been a little awkward since a few days before when Sesshomaru had admitted his ulterior motive for helping her get the shards – which were back safely around her neck – back. Kagome coughed quietly as she gathered the papers she'd been using to teach Rin her letters, tapping them together and putting them on one of the small desks. "You're doing wonderfully with her, Kagome." Sesshomaru praised quietly.

"Thank you." She responded immediately, slightly flustered as she smoothed her kimono and headed for the door.

"You haven't seen my kingdom." Sesshomaru interrupted her attempt to escape, "You've been locked up in my castle for weeks, you've seen those of mine with disputes, but you haven't seen my lands."

Well, she knew that... "Yes."

"I will be making a circuit of my lands today – would you like to come with me?"

Surprised, Kagome's eyebrows shot up, "Really?"

"Yes. Rin would happily spend the rest of the day playing and I think you would like to see the Western Lands."

"Do you really think so?" Kagome inquired softly, "I guess I could come with you... don't see any reason why not." She smiled faintly and glanced down at herself, wishing for the millionth time that she either had her uniform or the jeans her mother had given her just before Sesshomaru had snatched her from the well. The kimonos were nice and all, but they were... odd. She always felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes. Come along." Sesshomaru escorted her silently to the front doors and then through, letting Kagome enjoy her first taste of the outside without being trapped in the inner walls of the castle, in weeks. He led her to a waiting carriage and helped her within.

Kagome settled, smoothing the skirt, and waited to see if he would join her. He did, making sure the curtains were wide open on both sides, and settling back on his side of the available seating. The carriage was nice, as they went, and plenty large enough for both of them to fit comfortably without touching knees or something else of the sort.

The carriage started with a jerk a moment after Sesshomaru rapped his knuckles on the roof, and Kagome nearly fell from her seat. Cheeks flushing, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Watch." Sesshmaru murmured, "You should appreciate the beauty of the Western Lands."

She stirred from where she'd leaned her head against her hands and lifted her face again, peering out the window, waiting to see what was so wonderful about these lands. It didn't take much longer for her to discover the beauty of Lord Sesshomaru's lands and when she did a grin spread over her face.

Green. Everything that could be green, was, to a fault. The trees, to the grass, to the bushes covered an entire spectrum of emerald hues in a dazzling display of midday flourish. The houses and shops appeared as if by magic; minstrels raced about the streets, dancing about as lutes and fiddles sang into the air. Children either clapped for them, giggling, or ran alongside them juggling and tumbling.

Women strolled along the streets, smiling for the minstrels, wearing delicate kimonos and fanning themselves with delicate feathered fans or shading with dainty parasol-like umbrellas. Kagome was fairly certain parasols weren't the fashion in the Sengoku Jidai, so she wondered what to call those umbrellas and finally just stopped worrying about it, eyes flickering to the shops.

Jewelry, fabric, kimonos, snacks, restaurants, fresh fruit, fresh meat, all sorts of wares called for Kagome's interest, she found herself jerking back and forth from side to side in the carriage, eyes wide as she admired each store, asking question after question.

At first he seemed annoyed, but after a while Sesshomaru's face relaxed into faint amusement and he just answered her questions as simply as possible, watching her with mild fascination. She was so very excited, to see something so simple. He'd expected her to be eager, but had not anticipated her squealing over things as simple as latrines.

"And this--"

"Alright, Kagome, that's enough – we will walk the town later, alright?" Sesshomaru rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Take a rest, and breathe for a moment, girl. Your cheeks are purple." He chuckled and leaned to pat her knee, "We will simply ride around the rest of the lands and then stop where you are interested, alright?"

"Okay." Kagome whispered, staring at her knee as if he'd stung her.

Sesshomaru half-smiled and leaned back, continuing to gaze out the windows with no interest. He'd seen it all before; although it was nice to see it through the human's eyes. To see the place where he'd grown up suddenly fascinating and new.

The ride continued much more calmly; the carriage stopping at predefined meeting areas so Sesshomaru could slide from the carriage and meet with whomever led that area. They covered four cities just like the first one Kagome had squealed over, and by the time they were done she was beginning to get seriously tired of being in the damn carriage.

"Okay." Sesshomaru's sudden voice jerked the dark-haired girl up from where she'd been leaning, "Which city would you like to walk through?"

Upon Kagome's request they were walking through the first city, which had left the most lasting impression on her, and she was racing from store to store like a teenager in a mall. Squealing over kimonos and a pair of hakama pants that she adored and matched that haori over there so _well_! and those hair pins were so beautiful...look at those wonderful earrings! Oh, and the shoes, oh those ones looked so comfortable and much more supportive than her slippers!

It wasn't until she'd worn herself out and finally admitted to Sesshomaru that she was about to drop, that Kagome realized everything she'd pointed out to him in her giddy excitement was being taken to the carriage.

Seeing the look on her face the Lord started to laugh, "They pleased you, I must keep Rin's tutor happy, yes?" He shrugged and kept walking. Kagome gazed after him with wide eyes and then followed him.

This was how Kagome Higurashi found herself sitting in her room, wearing the hakama and haori that had so fascinated her, staring at a pile of boxes and bags... when an arm wrapped around her throat and hauled her backwards.


End file.
